The Government’s new speed limit rule has today 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 says.

• Reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways by 1 July 2025.
• Require reduced variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times by 1 July 2026.
• Enable speed limits up to 120km/h on Roads of National Significance where it is safe.

“The previous government’s approach to road safety led to untargeted speed limit reductions across the country that slowed Kiwis and the economy down. New Zealanders rejected these illogical blanket speed limit reductions.

“Over 65 per cent of submitters supported our 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/h. New Zealanders expect a sensible approach to speed limits on our roads, and that’s what we’re delivering.

“Throughout the world, 50km/h 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.

“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.

“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/h 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,” Mr Brown says.

“By 1 July 2026, local streets outside a school will be required to have a 30km/h 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/h 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.”

Note:

• The Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 was signed by Transport Minister Simeon Brown on 28 September and will come into force on 30 October.
• By 1 July 2025, Speed limits that have been reduced on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways since 1 January 2020 must be restored to the speed limit that was in place on 31 December 2019.
• The final Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 brings forward the date that reduced variable speed limits are required outside schools during pick up and drop off time. These variable speed limits must now be implemented by 1 July 2026 – one year earlier than the date set in the draft rule.
• The Government consulted with New Zealanders on the draft rule:

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

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

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

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

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

Information on reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions

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