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Download Policy document (PDF)Accelerate NZ
National will end Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions
A National government will undo Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions, returning many state highways to 100 km/h from 80, and many local roads to 50 km/h from 30, while designing new highways for 110 km/h.
New highways like Transmission Gully and the Kāpiti Expressway near Wellington were designed for vehicles to travel at 110 km/h but Labour has mostly imposed a 100 km/h speed limit. Both roads will rise to 110 km/h under National.
All around the country, Labour has cut speeds on many highways from 100 km/h to 80 by ignoring economic impacts including travel times, and by giving insufficient weight to road users’ and local communities’ views.
National will change the rules that set speed limits so that economic impacts – including travel times – and the views of road users and local communities count, alongside safety. This will mean many state highways going back to 100 km/h speed limits and many local roads going back to 50 km/h, except where that would be unsafe.
It makes no sense to have roads that can safely accommodate higher speed limits, only to require motorists to drive more slowly.
National will also put away road cones and limit temporary speed restrictions where they are not justified, like when there are no traffic hazards or no work being carried out.
National’s Accelerate NZ plan:
- Increase speed limits to 110 km/h on three state highways where it is safe to do so and construct new Roads of National Significance to a 110 km/h standard.
- Reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions on many state highways and local roads, except approaching schools where there will be variable speed limits at appropriate times of the day.
- Limit the unnecessary use of road cones and temporary speed limit reductions to keep traffic moving when there is minimal safety risk.