Permanent safer speed limits take effect today on State Highway 22 between Drury interchange and Paerata and on 200 local roads in the Franklin area.
New speed limit signs are in place, reducing speeds on SH22 from 100kmh to 80kmh and from 70kmh to 60kmh. The lower speeds are enforceable by law.
“It’s a great day for road safety and saving lives,” says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Senior Road Safety Manager Fabian Marsh.
“Speed is a factor in every crash. Even when it isn’t the cause, the speed a vehicle is travelling at can be the difference between someone walking away unharmed or being seriously injured or even killed, particularly when pedestrians or cyclists are involved.”
“These changes will make SH22 and many local roads in Franklin safer for everyone who uses them.”
Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport worked collaboratively on implementing the speed limit changes in Franklin. Safer speed limits introduced by Auckland Transport in the city centre and other parts of the Auckland region also take effect today.
Auckland Transport’s executive general manager of safety, Bryan Sherritt says Auckland Transport (AT) wants to make the roads safe for everyone – whether that’s people walking and cycling, kids outside schools, senior citizens or people driving.
“We are guided by the Vision Zero approach to transport safety, which prioritises human safety over other measures like minor time savings. Setting safe and survivable speeds for our road network is the quickest and most cost-effective way to immediately reduce death and serious injury.”
As well as reducing speed limits on SH22, Waka Kotahi is also undertaking a range of safety improvements on the road, including a roundabout, turning bays and safety barriers. Up to 25,000 vehicles a day use SH22 to connect to SH1, and vehicle numbers are increasing as the local population grows.
The safer speed limits on SH22 are part of the Waka Kotahi Safe Network Programme. The Safe Network Programme focuses on safe roads and roadsides, safe and appropriate speeds, and safe level crossings. As part of the programme, Waka Kotahi is identifying roads where safer speed limits could make a big difference in preventing deaths and serious injuries, and where communities are calling for change.
More information on the speed review and our consultation summary, including the submissions, can be found at the following project site:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh22-drury-interchange-to-paerata/ (external link)
See https://at.govt.nz/safespeeds(external link) for more information on Auckland Transport’s Safe Speeds programme.
Map showing the new permanent speed limits for SH22 Drury to Paerata.
Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:
