About the Speed Limit Review Consultation
Marlborough District Council undertook a review of speed limits on local roads across the region in a two-stage process in 2019 and 2020. The district-wide review was to ensure that the speed limits on our local roads are safe and appropriate and the review excludes State Highways as these are managed by the New Zealand Transport Agency.
On average, one person dies on New Zealand's roads every day and another is injured every hour. In Marlborough the number of fatal and serious injury casualties rose from 13 in 2013 to 37 in 2017, with speed being a contributing factor in 20% of the crashes.
Currently local councils and road controlling authorities are working to review safe and appropriate speeds and improve road infrastructure across NZ, with an aim to:
- reduce injury on our roads by looking at how we manage speed limits, and
- ensure there is a consistent district wide approach adopted to manage speed, design safety and the surrounding environments
Feedback
A two-stage consultation process as part of the review took place in 2019 and 2020 and was managed by the Council's local roads management agency, Marlborough Roads. The initial feedback stage saw more than 470 submissions received. Formal consultation then took place in September 2020 with 41 submissions received.
As a result of the Marlborough District Council Speed Bylaw 2020 review, speed limit changes on some local roads will take effect from 1 April 2021.