A blanket 30km/h speed limit proposed for parts of Auckland is a step too far.
That’s according to the New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) which says that while it supports efforts to bring down speeds on high-risk Auckland roads, it wants Auckland Transport (AT) to dial back its proposal for lower speed limits across the city.
The proposal goes out to public consultation from February 28 and includes a blanket 30km/h speed limit for the CBD, 30km/h speed limits in several town centres, and widespread speed limit reductions on Rodney and Franklin districts roads.
The clear message from Auckland AA members is that the proposal in its current form is a step too far, AA spokesman Barney Irvine says.
“People are pretty open to the idea of safer speeds in the central city, but a blanket 30km/h limit just doesn’t pass the credibility test,” he says.
“On top of that, the NZ Transport Agency and its speed management guide recommend 40km/h for most roads in the CBD, and AT has shown no evidence to say we need to go below that.”
The AA will therefore be calling on AT to instead opt for a 40km/h CBD limit.
However, on busy arterials like Hobson, Fanshawe and Nelson streets, the AA is questioning whether speed limit reductions are workable.
“These are extremely wide, multi-lane roads, and everything about the road environment points to a 50km/h speed limit,” Irvine says.
“When the traffic is flowing, trying to get people to drive at slower speeds is likely to be an exercise in futility – particularly if the new limit is 30km/h. The only likely way to get compliance would be relentless enforcement, and that’s not the outcome anyone wants to see.”
On Nelson Street in particular, there are also concerns that a lower speed limit would push too much traffic back on to heavily congested motorways.
Of 14,000 responses in a recent survey of Auckland AA members, 62% opposed or strongly opposed a blanket 30km/h CBD speed limit, while only 16% were in favour.
Asked about the speed limit on Nelson Street, less than 2.5% said 30km/h, while nearly 90% said 50km/h or more.
Irvine says most of the proposed speed limit changes are in rural areas, and many Franklin and Rodney residents will get a shock when they learn how many roads are affected.
“The big concern for us is the number of roads that are being reduced from 100km/h down to 60km/h, or even 40km/h, when the NZTA recommends 80km/h would be safe and appropriate. A lot of these are low-risk roads, and the whole situation’s going to confuse and frustrate locals, particularly once tickets start getting issued.”
Irvine says a more targeted approach would achieve the right safety outcomes and win stronger public support.
“For this to succeed, AT needs public buy-in. Without it, AT risks ending up with low compliance, high public frustration, and a future situation where speed limit changes become a no-go zone politically. That’d be a poor outcome for road safety.”
