The Government has signed a new speed limit rule which reverses Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions with over 65% of public submissions supporting the plan.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the previous government’s approach to road safety led to “untargeted speed limit reductions across the country that slowed Kiwis and the economy down”.
The new rule will introduce the following:
- Reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways by 1 July 2025.
- Require reduced variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times by 1 July 2026.
- Enable speed limits up to 120km/h on Roads of National Significance where it is safe.
“It makes no sense to make a shift worker travelling to work at four o’clock in the morning crawl along our streets at 30km/h. New Zealanders expect a sensible approach to speed limits on our roads, and that’s what we’re delivering.
“Throughout the world, 50km/h is used as the right speed limit to keep urban roads flowing smoothly and safely. The evidence on this is clear – comparable countries with the lowest rates of road deaths and serious injuries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Japan, have speed limits of 50km/h on their urban roads, with exceptions for lower speed limits,” Brown says.
“These countries have strong road safety records, targeting alcohol, drugs, and speeding. Our Government has a clear focus on improving road safety outcomes with clear targets to ensure Police are focussed on the most high-risk times, behaviours, and locations.
“Alcohol and drugs are the highest contributing factor to fatal crashes on our roads, and that’s why we have increased alcohol breath testing targets and introduced legislation to roll out roadside drug testing to crack down on this reckless behaviour.
“Over 850,000 more alcohol breath tests were undertaken on our roads in 2023/24 compared to the previous year, saving 37 lives across the country. We know that alcohol breath testing and drug testing are incredibly effective at saving lives,” he says.
Brown says he wants to see reduced speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times brought in quickly.
By July 1, 2026, local streets outside a school will be required to have a 30km/h variable speed limit. Rural roads that are outside schools will be required to have variable speed limits of 60km/h or less.
Brown adds that Roads of National Significance improve safety and efficiency and a green light will be given for new expressways to have speed limits up to 120km/h where it’s safe, from the day they open.
“It is critical that we have the right settings in place to boost economic growth and improve road safety, enabling Kiwis to get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.”
