New Speed Limits Coming to Bay of Plenty

New speed limits will soon be introduced across parts of the Bay of Plenty following a six-week consultation with communities.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) considered community feedback received during the consultation and is set to implement several changes in accordance with the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024.

A total of 432 submissions were received from individuals and organisations on the proposed speed limit changes, with some submissions addressing more than one proposal.

Andrew Corkill, NZTA’s Director of Regional Relationships for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, said feedback was crucial in decision-making.

“The insight of locals and road users is invaluable. Although the consultation revealed that people had mixed feelings on some of the proposals, when taken into account alongside safety and technical assessments, cost, benefit and other data, the way forward in the interests of safety was clear.”

The proposals outlined three locations in the Bay of Plenty for installation of intersection speed zones (ISZs): the SH30/SH34/Grieve Road intersection at Te Teko, the SH33/Maniatutu Road intersection near Lake Rotoiti, and the SH5/SH30/Waipa State Mill Road intersection in Rotorua.

NZTA said ISZs improve safety for people entering and exiting side roads, or turning from state highways.

It explained that when approaching traffic is detected, the electronic signs temporarily lower the legal speed limit on the highway from 100km/h to 60km/h.    

“We’ve seen that when speed limits are reduced, average driving speeds do become lower,” said Corkill.

“We know from the research that ISZs give people more time to react to mistakes and avoid collisions, meaning crashes are less likely to happen.”

Elsewhere, a lower speed limit will be implemented on a section of SH33 at Waipuna Bay near Ōkere Falls, Lake Rotoiti.

The speed limit at Waipuna Bay was required to automatically revert to its previous higher limit of 100km/h under the Rule. However, after receiving strong community and stakeholder feedback, NZTA decided to retain the 80km/h speed limit.

SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road's new Wairākei (Pāpāmoa East) and Rangiuru interchanges will have a 50km/h speed limit on sections of the highway.

Speed limit changes on the SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll road. IMAGE // NZTA

All sites have been approved under the Land Transport Rule and will be entered into the National Speed Limit Register. They will become enforceable once the new signs are installed and uncovered.