Last week the Council adopted an Interim Speed Management Plan, with the objective to make it safer around all our schools and surrounding neighbourhoods. The plan will now be submitted to Waka Kotahi for certification and the new speed limits will then be formalised and implemented.
Some additional changes that were requested through consultation feedback will be addressed in the future as part of a long-term Speed Management Plan. A possible inclusion of Winters and Grimseys Roads (and their side streets) in Redwood in the plan was not recommended to be included in the interim plan, as feedback “indicated that the community was not ready for these changes”. Other local streets (such as Barnes Rd & Sturrocks Rd, and the area south of Prestons Road) may be considered in the future.
Previously speed limit changes were set by operational speeds and infrastructure (eg physical changes to the road) was required to support a lower speed limit. Under a new setting of speed limits rule, safe speed limits can be set without requiring the installation of new design and infrastructure, which could be a costly barrier to achieving safe speed limits. Where necessary, the need for infrastructure will still be assessed through separate projects and programmes.
See the overview map for changes made in the Waipapa Community Board area. Note that these are additional to the Slow Speeds Neighbourhood changes already implemented in the Papanui area. Apologies for the low-resolution of the map.