Police to take 'educational approach' towards Auckland's lower speed limits

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Speed limits are coming down on 660km of roads across the Auckland region.

Police say they will take an 'educational approach' towards those who drive over the speed limit following the introduction of more than 600 lower limits in Auckland.

The speed limits came into play on Tuesday, as part of Auckland Transport's safe speeds programme, which aims to reduce the 'unacceptably high' rate of death and serious injuries to zero.

Forty people died and 567 people were seriously injured in crashes on Auckland roads in 2019.

The cuts have taken some city and town centre road speed limits down to 30 or 40kmh. Rural roads will reduce in some cases from 100kmh to 80 or even lower, mostly within the rural Rodney and Franklin wards.

* Government to lower speed limits around schools, add more speed cameras

While those who unknowingly speed might get away with a warning, those who drive at dangerous speeds should expect enforcement action (file photo).

* AA warning: Cutting speed limits could do more harm than good

“Even where speed doesn't cause a crash, it is the biggest single determinant in whether anyone gets hurt, killed, or walks away,” Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison said.

'Absolutely no one should lose their life simply getting around our city – so we have to keep working hard.”

Tamaki Makaurau road policing manager Inspector Scott Webb said it was understandable people would need time to adjust and remember the speed limits have changes.

Auckland transport CEO Shane Ellison said death and serious injury crashes had reduced by 25 per cent in 2019, but were still “far, far, too high”.

'We know people who use these roads frequently will be accustomed to the previous speed limits.'

Police would take an 'educational approach' while people get used to the new speed limits, he said.

However, the aim to save lives on the road remained at the forefront. Anyone who drove at speeds posing 'unacceptable risks' could expect enforcement action.

'With every interaction we have at the roadside, our aim is to encourage safe driving behaviour.

Auckland Transport CEO Shane Ellison explains the speed limit reduction plan. (Video first published June 2020)

'Police will continue to carry out prevention and enforcement activities in places where we can be most effective in preventing harm on the roads.'

Police would not target roads with lowered speed limits, but would deploy officers to those roads if motorists drive in a manner that put lives at risk.

'Our aim is not to catch people out, it is to ensure safe roads.'

The reductions have the backing of Auckland councillors.

“We realised we had failed miserably in providing a transport system that maximised safety,” planning committee chair Chris Darby said.

Mayor Phil Goff also supported the lowering of speed limits.

“Reducing speeds to safer limits on roads identified as posing high risk is one effective way that we can reduce deaths and serious injuries and keep all road users safe,” Goff said.

The Automobile Association (AA) supports the general idea, but said AT had moved too far, too fast.

“The main concern for us is that a number of the changes don’t make sense to people – and where speed limits don’t make sense, people won’t comply,” spokesman Barney Irvine said.

The AA called for a “less blanket” approach and wanted major CBD arterials such as Nelson, Hobson and Fanshawe streets not to be lowered from 50kmh to 40 as proposed.

'There’s also a big group of 100kmh rural roads that are going to be brought down to 60kmh or even 40kmh. Many of these should have been brought down to 80 instead,” Irvine said.

Auckland Transport's board signed off the cuts in October 2019 after public consultation and the agency then released a public opinion survey, of which the board had not been aware.

Of 1004 respondents, 49 per cent supported lower speeds in general while 27 per cent were opposed.

Auckland Transport will monitor the impact of the speed reductions over the next 18 months and a second and third tranche of more complicated changes will also be made.