Speed limits along several sections of State Highway 1 between Taupō and Tūrangi are set to return to pre-2022 designations – from 60km/h or 80km/h back to 100km/h.
Community feedback overall has only resulted in a few of the 49 state highway corridors opened up by New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) for public consultation retaining their reduced speed limits.
Of the six locations that demonstrated majority public support, required by the new rule for the current lower speed limit to remain, the only one in the Taupō area was a section of SH5 Waiotapu which garnered a 66 per cent ‘retain’ response.
The four sections of State Highway 1 between Taupō and Tūrangi being consulted on all got the thumbs down, according to newly released NZTA survey results, which means they are set to return to their previous higher speed limits.
The sections with their levels of support to retain the lower speeds were: Hātepe to Hallets Bay (20 per cent), Hallets Bay to Motutere/Bulli Point (37 per cent), Motutere to Waitetoko (23 per cent) and Motuoapa to Tūrangi (20 per cent),
In January this year, the Minister of Transport announced that 38 sections of state highway were subject to speed limit auto-reversal under the ‘Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024’ which replaced the 2022 rule set by the previous government, with a further 49 sections open to community consultation as regards retaining the current lower speed limits.
NZTA carried out six weeks of public consultation on these 49 sections between the end of January and mid-March, with over 21,500 people responding.
Following the feedback the NZTA board determined 43 locations will return to their previous higher speed limits, with just six remaining at their current lower speed limits where more than 50 per cent of respondents had asked for these to be retained.
The other 43 sections of state highway with a less than 50 per cent ‘keep’ response will be added to NZTA’s wider list of speed limit reversals which will be rolled out in monthly tranches, with all to be in effect by July 1.
NZTA says work is continuing separately to consult on 16 of the 38 sections of state highways subject to auto-reversal requirements under the 2024 rule, but where local communities have given strong feedback that they want to keep lower speeds.
This includes the 2.1 km section of State Highway 1 running through Tūrangi from south of Waiotaka Road to south of Te Arahori Street, currently at 60km/h.
For these, NZTA is undertaking a full speed review, which includes looking at technical, safety, cost and economic data, alongside consultation feedback, before confirming final speed limit outcomes.
Consultation on these is open for six weeks, until May 14, with the results announced in June.
If the review determines a lower speed should be confirmed, instead of the higher one (80km/h) set through the reversal process, this will take place in July.
Community feedback about the higher State Highway 1 speed limit in Tūrangi included concerns about the number of businesses and accommodation providers in the area, people crossing the road to access Tūrangi township and Lake Taupō, and the many entrances onto this road.
