Update – August 2024
The speed management plan and community feedback were considered at the Council meeting of 10 June 2024.
Among the factors Council had to consider was the government’s new draft Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) released in March 2024 which replaced the GPS the former government consulted on in August 2023.
The draft GPS outlines the Government’s plan for investing in land transport over the next 10 years. Among the guidance was that speed limit reductions would be tightened to focus on areas with high safety concerns.
As a result, an assessment of safety around Tauranga’s 45 schools has been undertaken. Some of the feedback from our community consultation was also that a 30km/h speed limit was too slow and would further increase disruption and congestion in the city.
Council considered the proposals and decided on 40km/h variable speed zones outside schools, 40km/h outside marae and a 30km/h zone within the city centre. The Council report can be found here.
The Ministry of Transport recently consulted on a national speed management policy/rule. The requirements for setting speed limits will apply to all Councils across New Zealand and may result in the speed limit outside schools changing from 40km/h to 30km/h. We will work with those schools directly affected if these changes come into effect.
Schools
Commissioners approved a recommendation for 21 Tauranga schools to have 40km/h variable speed zones that would apply 30 minutes before school starts and 20 minutes after school ends. This is in addition to the 14 schools which already have 40km/h variable speed zones. The new variable limits will be delivered in order of risk priority and based on funding availability.
Another 21 schools in Tauranga will have new 40km/h variable speed zones.
The 21 schools that will get a variable 40km/h speed zone:
- Arataki School
- Mount Maunganui College
- Omanu School
- Pāpāmoa College
- Tauranga Primary School
- Tauranga Waldorf School
- Tahatai Coast School
- Tauranga Girls' College
- Gate Pa School
- Greerton Village School
- Ōtūmoetai College
- Ōtūmoetai Intermediate
- Mt Maunganui Intermediate
- Te Akau ki Pāpāmoa Primary School
- Tauranga Boys' College
- Merivale School
- Mount Maunganui Primary School
- Te Manawa ō Pāpāmoa School
- Bellevue School (Tauranga)
- Tauranga Adventist School (on hold)
- Te Kura o Matapihi
City centre
Commissioners approved a recommendation that the area of the city centre currently covered by a 30km/h temporary speed limit (between McLean Street and Second Avenue) be included as a permanent 30km/h (this will not include Cameron Road).
Marae
Waikari Marae and Hungahungatoroa Marae (Matapihi) requested lower speeds to allow safer connectivity between marae and Te Kura o Matapihi. Commissioners approved a recommendation that Waikari Road, Hungahungatoroa Road, and Matapihi Road (between Waikari Road and Hungahungatoroa Road) have a permanent 40km/h speed zone.
Waimapu Marae (Ruahine) in Hairini requested a speed reduction along the entire length of Waimapu Pa Road. We suggested focusing on compliance within the closest 200m and expanding this approach while improving the infrastructure to support lower speeds. Commissioners approved a recommendation that Waimapu Pa Road have a permanent 40km/speed zone extending 200m from the marae.
Urban fringe
Commissioners approved a recommendation that the proposed changes to speed limits on Domain Road, Tara Road, Te Puke Highway, and Parton Road are deferred until such time future development changes the current road environment. This will be decided by a future Council.
See where the proposed speed limit changes are on these maps.
Speed limit change maps (13mb pdf)
Implementation of the speed management plan
The speed management plan will be confirmed and implemented as per the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, and the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits Amendment 2023. The new speed limits will be in place by the end of 2024.
Community engagement – April-May 2024
We acknowledge the time and effort our communities and key stakeholders have taken to provide feedback on safer speeds in our city. This feedback was valuable in developing the recommendations for consideration by Council.
In total, 1038 people completed the online survey, we received 23 emails to our project inbox, 60 people attended our community drop-in sessions and there were more than 350 comments on our social media posts.
Read more in our Engagement Summary Report. (2.9mb pdf)
Why do we want to make these changes?
As Tauranga has grown, some of the higher speed limits that are in place are no longer appropriate with the higher density of housing, vehicle volumes, and the mix of cyclists and pedestrians using the streets. Reducing the speed limits on these key roads and around school environments during drop-off and pick-up times will make it safer for the community to move around.
As well as reducing the number of serious injuries and deaths on our road network, lowering speed limits provides access to a range of transport options that make it easy and safe to get around the city, as well as creating a healthier environment with lower carbon emissions and improved air quality.
The Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022 has recently been amended by the new government, removing mandatory requirements for local Road Controlling Authorities (RCA) such as Tauranga City Council to implement speed management plans.
Commissioners decided at a Council meeting in February that we would continue to develop a speed management plan with community engagement.