Sunday Brings 30km/h Speed Limit to City CBD

New Plymouth’s CBD officially becomes a low-speed zone this Sunday (1 July).

From this date the central city will have a permanent 30km/h speed limit.

Manager Roading Assets Max Aves says the aim is to create an environment where vehicle speeds are consistently lower and it is safer for people to walk, cycle, drive, push prams and use mobility scooters in the CBD.

“The new speed limit won’t require a great change in behaviour for many drivers as the average speed limit in the CBD now is 32km/h,” he says. “However, having 30km/h as the official limit will make maximum speeds uniform on all of the CBD’s streets.

Average driving speeds currently range from 43.6km/h on Queen Street to 18.1km/h on Brougham Street.

The majority of respondents to a public survey in December last year believed a lower speed limit would improve safety, make it easier to move around the CBD and increase the city’s vibrancy.

Contractors are installing the new speed limit signs now, but they will be covered up until Sunday.

The speed limit will apply to the following streets:

• Queen Street.
• Egmont Street.
• Robe Street from Powderham Street to Devon Street West.
• Brougham Street from Powderham to Ariki streets.
• Currie Street.
• Liardet Street from St Aubyn/Molesworth to Courtenay streets.
• Gover Street from Molesworth to Courtenay streets.
• Devon Street West from Currie to Queen streets.
• Devon Street East from Currie to Gover streets.
• King Street from Queen to Brougham streets.
• Ariki Street.
• Gill Street from Currie to Gover streets.

 

A 30km/h limit is used in a number of other shopping districts around the country including Hamilton, Blenheim, Mt Maunganui and Wellington.