Drivers will soon see new 30km/h variable speed limits outside schools across Marlborough, following approval at Council’s Strategy and Community Partnerships Committee meeting last week.
The variable speed limits will apply at all schools on local roads in the region, operating for one hour at the start and end of each school day during term time.
The change is required under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024, which asks all road controlling authorities to make reasonable efforts to have variable speed limits in place outside school gates. NZTA is rolling out the same 30km/h variable limits at Marlborough schools that front the state highway network.
Marlborough Roads Manager Steve Murrin said the lower limits will apply when they matter most, when children are arriving at and leaving school.
"These are the busiest times outside our school gates, with kids on foot, on bikes and being dropped off. Slowing traffic to 30km/h during those windows makes a real difference to safety, without holding up traffic for the rest of the day."
Marlborough Roads contacted every school in the region to confirm start and finish times, and worked with NZTA to align operating periods across the region. Consistent times across all schools in the region keeps things simple for road users and makes the limit easier to enforce.
The variable speed limits will operate:
- 8.15am to 9.15am and 2.45pm to 3.45pm for schools in Blenheim and Picton
- 8.15am to 9.15am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm for schools in the rest of Marlborough
- 7.45am to 8.45am and 2.15pm to 3.15pm for three schools with earlier operating hours.
Where practical, existing school speed advisory signs will be kept and overlaid with the new variable speed limit, keeping installation costs down.
Marlborough Roads will now arrange for the signs to be installed and the National Speed Limit Register to be updated. Schools will be notified before the changes take effect.
