Horowhenua District Council Mayor Bernie Wanden is spearheading a campaign to keep speed limits on several roads in the district at 80 km/h.

‘Hard data show lower speed limits in the area save lives, with minimal difference in travel times,’ says Mayor Bernie.

NZTA is consulting in several regions around the country to find out local support levels for keeping speed limits at specific state highway locations at today’s lowered speeds.The transport agency will reverse these locations’ speed limit to their previous speeds by 1 July 2025, unless there is public support to retain them.

In Horowhenua that would mean reverting to speeds of 100 km/h on SH1 from Ōhau to Manakau and Manakau to the Pukehou Overbridge and SH57 from SH1 to Heatherlea East Road.

‘These are very busy stretches of road which run past marae, businesses, multiple side roads and the Speldhurst retirement village with its 700 elderly residents,’ says Mayor Bernie.

‘They are also essential to our many produce growers, whose tractor and trailer units take lots of road space and travel at low speeds.

‘We know for a fact that since speed limits dropped to 80 km/h in 2022 these roads have been safer. NZTA data show us there have been no fatal crashes in this period, compared to an average of more than two deaths a year when the speed limit was 100 km/h. Serious injury crashes halved over the same period, from more than three to an average of 1.5 per year.

‘Before the speeds came down it was known as one of the most dangerous stretches of road in the country.

‘I’ve talked to many community members who are worried about what will happen if the speed limit goes back up. A representative of Tukorehe Marae, which is on SH1 near Ōhau, told me it would be “devastating” for the marae and its community, and said the road was a “death-trap” when the speed limit was 100 km/h.

‘The Speldhurst Residents Association told me people trying to turn right into the retirement village were often overtaken by other cars, despite no passing lines on the road. Raising the speed to 100 km/h would make this even more dangerous and was “completely unacceptable”.

‘We are taking these community concerns seriously.Following a workshop elected members supported the Horowhenua District Council making a submission in favour of keeping the speed limit at 80 km/h.'

Mayor Bernie wants marae, residents, businesses, schools and community groups to do the same.

‘The more submissions NZTA receives, the more weight they will give to community feedback.I urge you to have your say via the NZTA website – search for ‘speed consultation’ to find your way to the online survey.

‘Submissions close on 13 March, so don’t delay. Remember, whether you’re a motorist, a cyclist or someone who lives or works alongside one of these roads, we’re all safer at 80’.

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