A speed limit of 30km/h around schools and at busy places like shopping areas are two of the principles proposed in Hamilton’s Speed Management Plan, which opened today (2 April) for consultation.

The goal of the Council’s first Speed Management Plan is to make it safer for people as they move around Hamilton, with the right speeds on the right roads. It outlines principles and priorities which would guide all work done, and what priority will be given to better manage speed in the city, including changes to speed limits.

The Plan is in support of the Council’s Vision Zero road safety goal of no deaths on Hamilton’s streets and roads.

The draft Plan doesn’t specify particular speeds on specific streets, instead proposing principles to guide safe and appropriate speeds, and how these would be applied through the city. The priorities would help the Council decide where the focus of speed management should be, for example in places which will give the greatest safety benefits, where lots of people walk or bike, and where people are keen for change.

Work started in late 2018 on the Plan, with workshops held with people and groups involved in road safety, including Hamilton councillors, Police, AA, and the NZ Transport Agency. Face-to-face engagement was carried out with the community, including in libraries and at a community event, as well as online using the Council’s Your Ideas platform, and on social media. This included people pin-dropping on a map where they think speeds aren’t right.

This engagement told the Council most people support better managing of speed in Hamilton, showed where they have concerns, and that speed limit changes also need to be supported by infrastructure like road layout and signage, and by education, behaviour change and enforcement.

Feedback from this consultation will be considered by the Council, and once adopted, will be used to guide a programme of work for Hamilton to start in the 2019/20 year. Further engagement and consultation would then take place with the community in places where speed limits would change and physical work be carried out through applying the principles and priorities of the Speed Management Plan.

Feedback can be given until 8 May 2019 at www.hamilton.govt.nz/haveyoursay and via forms available at Hamilton City Libraries and the Council’s Municipal Building. Any verbal submissions will be heard by the Council’s Regulatory and Hearings Committee on 4 June 2019.

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