Dozens of lives will be saved and hundreds of serious injuries will be prevented if safe speeds are introduced across high-risk Auckland roads.
The Auckland Transport Board has approved the Draft Speed Limits Bylaw 2019, with public consultation to take place early next year. The draft bylaw, which is part of AT's Regional Fuel Tax-funded programme to improve road safety, would see speed limits reduced on 10 per cent of Auckland's roads.
Between 2013 and 2017 there was a dramatic increase in the number of speed-related deaths and serious injuries. In 2017, 28 people died in speed-related crashes. Historically, inappropriate speed has contributed to more than 20 per cent of all deaths and serious injuries on Auckland's roads.
AT Chief Executive Shane Ellison says if adopted, lower speed limits on high-risk roads will be a significant step in Auckland's journey to improve road safety.
"Setting safe speeds is one of the quickest and most effective tools we have in reducing road trauma," he says.
"The public will now have their say on our safe speed proposals early next year, and for Auckland Transport to continue its work to make our streets safer for everyone."
If the proposal is adopted following consultation, AT would initially begin its Safe Speed Programme in the city centre, some town centres and approximately 770km of high-risk rural and urban roads around the region.
Infrastructure improvements will also be made to the roads subject to speed limit changes, to make road corridors and intersections safer.
Any proposed speed limit changes would come into effect later in 2019 following consultation in February and March, and adoption of the bylaw.
