Proposed speed policy in the hands of council

Source: Unplash.

After a meeting by the Christchurch City Council (CCC) on July 3, the decision has been made to consider a report which outlines a submission to reverse speed limit reductions implemented after January 1. The submission is to increase speed limits and additionally introduce variable speed limits outside schools. 

The submission has come into the spotlight after the current Government drafted the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024, which gives authorities such as the CCC new procedures, criteria and requirements to evaluate.  

Ilam MP Hamish Campbell believes that if these changes were to be implemented, it would have a profound positive impact on Ōtautahi’s roads. 

“As I engage with residents in Ilam, many raise Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions as an issue with me, so I am pleased we are delivering these changes,” Campbell told Canta 

“We can expect to see several local streets in our area revert to the 50 km/h speed limits that were in place before 2020. Our residents will no longer be needlessly slowed down by these illogical and untargeted reductions.” 

However, with safety being at the obvious forefront of the conversation when it comes to increasing the speed on Christchurch roads, some have strong reservations to these proposed changes. 

Former Ministry of Transport Chief Science Advisor and current Professor at UC Simon Kingham commented that the research on road speeds makes it clear that lower speed limits are good and how the council’s ability to implement these changes is “undemocratic.”  

“The policy in question is a bad one, as it has no base of strong evidence,” Kingham said.  

Furthermore, Kingham made it clear the speed increase would directly affect students, especially those who use other modes of transport to make their way to campus. 

“With an increase in speed, the walking and cycling commute [will become] more dangerous and less enjoyable.”  

Campbell had comments of his own surrounding the possible altercation of safety that the changes would have, including how “safety has to be the main consideration in any decisions made,” while also focussing on how speed was only one factor in road user safety. 

“We are already investing a record amount into pothole prevention works, and our new Roads of National Significance will be amongst the safest roads in New Zealand,” Campbell said.