Contents

Objective of the Rule

Extent of consultation

Part 1 Rule requirements

Section 1 Preliminary provisions

• 1.1 Title
• 1.2 Commencement
• 1.3 Principal Rule amended

Section 2 Amendments to principal Rule

• 2.1 Clause 2.6 amended (Additional information required when consulting on particular proposed speed limits)
• 2.2 Clause 3.1 amended (Categories of speed limit)
• 2.3 Clause 3.4 amended (Default urban and rural speed limits)
• 2.4 Clause 4.1 amended (Application of section)
• 2.5 Clause 4.2 amended (Road controlling authority may review or consider new permanent, seasonal, or variable speed limit)
• 2.6 Clause 4.3 amended (Road controlling authority may propose permanent, seasonal, or variable speed limit)
• 2.7 Clause 4.4 amended (Road controlling authority may set permanent, seasonal, or variable speed limit)
• 2.8 Clause 4.5 amended (Additional procedural steps for 70 km/h and 90 km/h speed limits)
• 2.9 Clause 6.2 amended (How temporary speed limit is set, applies, and is removed)
• 2.10 Clause 7.2 amended (How emergency speed limit is set, applies, and is removed)
• 2.11 Clause 8.1 amended (Speed limits for roads in designated locations)
• 2.12 Clause 9.2 amended (Requirement to provide repeater signs unless nature of road makes speed limit clear to road users)
• 2.13 Clause 9.3 amended (Specific requirements for permanent and seasonal speed limit signs)
• 2.14 Part 2 amended (Definitions)
• 2.15 Schedule 2 amended (Repeater signs)

 

Objective of the Rule

Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits Amendment 2019 (the amendment Rule) amends Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017 (the Setting of Speed Limits Rule). The Setting of Speed Limits Rule sets out the roles and responsibilities of the NZ Transport Agency and road controlling authorities for reviewing and setting speed limits, and establishes procedures and requirements whereby road controlling authorities may set enforceable speed limits on roads within their jurisdiction.

The objective of the amendment Rule is to replace the term “holiday speed limit” with “seasonal speed limit”, to remove any perception that holiday speed limits can only lawfully be in force on statutory holidays.

Extent of consultation

For the purposes of consultation, amendments proposed to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule and 14 other Land Transport Rules were combined into a single Rule, Land Transport Rule: Regulatory Stewardship (Omnibus) Amendment 2018 (the Omnibus Amendment Rule). Following consultation, the provisions in the Omnibus Amendment Rule were split into separate amendment Rules.

The NZ Transport Agency sent details of the amendment proposals by letter or email to approximately 2544 groups and individuals who had registered an interest in the Rules to be amended. The Omnibus Amendment Rule was made available through the NZ Transport Agency’s Contact Centre and, together with Questions and Answers, was also available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website. The availability of the amendment proposals for comment was publicised in the daily newspapers in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. It was also notified in the New Zealand Gazette on 23 July 2018.

The NZ Transport Agency received 41 submissions on the Omnibus Amendment Rule, of which 10 commented on the proposed amendments to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule.

The submissions received were taken into account in finalising the draft Rule following which it was submitted to the Associate Minister of Transport for signing.

Part 1 Rule requirements

Section 1 Preliminary provisions

1.1 Title

This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits Amendment 2019.

1.2 Commencement

This Rule comes into force on 1 June 2019.

1.3 Principal Rule amended

This Rule amends Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017.

Section 2 Amendments to principal Rule

2.1 Clause 2.6 amended (Additional information required when consulting on particular proposed speed limits)

In clause 2.6(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.2 Clause 3.1 amended (Categories of speed limit)

Replace clause 3.1(c) with:

               (c)      a seasonal speed limit:

2.3 Clause 3.4 amended (Default urban and rural speed limits)

In clause 3.4(3)(b), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.4 Clause 4.1 amended (Application of section)

2.4(1) In clause 4.1(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.4(2) In clause 4.1(3), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.5 Clause 4.2 amended (Road controlling authority may review or consider new permanent, seasonal, or variable speed limit)

2.5(1) In the heading to clause 4.2, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.5(2) In clause 4.2(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal” in each place it occurs.

2.5(3) In clause 4.2(2), replace “holiday” with “seasonal” in each place it occurs.

2.6 Clause 4.3 amended (Road controlling authority may propose permanent, seasonal, or variable speed limit)

2.6(1) In the heading to clause 4.3, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.6(2) In clause 4.3(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.7 Clause 4.4 amended (Road controlling authority may set permanent, seasonal, or variable speed limit)

2.7(1) In the heading to clause 4.4, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.7(2) In clause 4.4(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.7(3) In clause 4.4(2), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.8 Clause 4.5 amended (Additional procedural steps for 70 km/h and 90 km/h speed limits)

In clause 4.5(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.9 Clause 6.2 amended (How temporary speed limit is set, applies, and is removed)

In clause 6.2(2)(b), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.10 Clause 7.2 amended (How emergency speed limit is set, applies, and is removed)

In clause 7.2(2)(b), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.11 Clause 8.1 amended (Speed limits for roads in designated locations)

Replace clause 8.1(1)(c) with:

               (c)      a seasonal speed limit.

2.12 Clause 9.2 amended (Requirement to provide repeater signs unless nature of road makes speed limit clear to road users)

In clause 9.2(1)(a), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.13 Clause 9.3 amended (Specific requirements for permanent and seasonal speed limit signs)

2.13(1) In the heading to clause 9.3, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.13(2) In clause 9.3(1), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.13(3) In clause 9.3(2), replace “holiday” with “seasonal” in each place it occurs.

2.14 Part 2 amended (Definitions)

2.14(1) In Part 2, subclause (1), revoke the definition of holiday speed limit.

2.14(2) In Part 2, subclause (1), definition of permanent speed limit, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.14(3) In Part 2, subclause (1), definition of special event, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.14(4) In Part 2, subclause (1), definition of speed limit, paragraph (a)(i), replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.

2.14(5) In Part 2, subclause (1), insert in its appropriate alphabetical order:

               seasonal speed limit means a maximum speed limit set in accordance with this Rule that is in force 24 hours a day for a specified period or periods

2.15 Schedule 2 amended (Repeater signs)

In Part 3, Schedule 2, heading to Table 1, replace “holiday” with “seasonal”.