The Government’s new speed limit rule has been signed to reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions and enable Kiwis to get to where they want to go quickly and safely, Transport Minister Simeon Brown said.

“The previous Government’s approach to road safety led to untargeted speed limit reductions across the country that slowed Kiwis and the economy down,” said Brown.

“New Zealanders rejected these illogical blanket speed limit reductions.”

Brown said more than 65 per cent of submitters supported their plan to reverse the previous Government’s blanket speed limit reductions in the draft speed limit rule.

“It makes no sense to make a shift worker travelling to work at four o’clock in the morning crawl along our streets at 30km per hour. New Zealanders expect a sensible approach to speed limits on our roads, and that’s what we’re delivering.”

Brown said throughout the world, 50km per hour is used as the right speed limit to keep urban roads flowing smoothly and safely.

“The evidence on this is clear – comparable countries with the lowest rates of road deaths and serious injuries, such as Norway, Denmark and Japan, have speed limits of 50km/h on their urban roads, with exceptions for lower speed limits,” said Brown.

“These countries have strong road safety records, targeting alcohol, drugs and speeding.

“Our Government has a clear focus on improving road safety outcomes with clear targets to ensure Police are focussed on the most high-risk times, behaviours and locations.”

Brown said alcohol and drugs are the highest contributing factor to fatal crashes on our roads.

“And that’s why we have increased alcohol breath testing targets and introduced legislation to roll out roadside drug testing to crack down on this reckless behaviour.

“Over 850,000 more alcohol breath tests were undertaken on our roads in 2023/24 compared to the previous year, saving 37 lives across the country.

“We know that alcohol breath testing and drug testing are incredibly effective at saving lives.”

Delivering on the National-Act coalition agreement, the Government is requiring reduced variable speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times and enabling speed limits up to 120km per hour on expressways where it’s safe.

“We are prioritising the safety of young Kiwis by introducing reduced speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times. We want to see these changes brought about quickly and have shifted forward the date by which they will be required at schools across New Zealand,” Brown said.

”By 1 July 2026, local streets outside a school will be required to have a 30km per hour variable speed limit. Rural roads that are outside schools will be required to have variable speed limits of 60km/h or less.

“We know that Roads of National Significance improve safety and efficiency.

“That’s why we are giving the green light for new expressways to have speed limits up to 120km per hour where it’s safe, from the day they open.

“It is critical that we have the right settings in place to boost economic growth and improve road safety, enabling Kiwis to get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.”

Brown signed the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 on September 28 and it will come into force on October 30.

By July 1, 2025, speed limits that have been reduced on local streets, arterial roads and state highways since January 1, 2020 must be restored to the speed limit that was in place on December 31, 2019.

The Government consulted with New Zealanders on the draft rule:

- 65 per cent of submitters supported reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions. 32 per cent did not support this, and 4 per cent were unclear.

- 51 per cent supported cost-benefit analysis for speed limit changes. 29 per cent did not support this, and 20 per cent were unclear.

- 63 per cent supported strengthening consultation requirements when making speed limit changes. 22 per cent did not support this, and 15 per cent were unclear.

- 56 per cent supported (either in full or with an exception) introducing standardised speed limits. 35 per cent did not support this, and 9 per cent were unclear.

- 54 per cent supported enabling 120km/h speed limits on roads that can safely accommodate that speed. 29 per cent did not support this, and 17 per cent were unclear.