Draft Speed Limits Bylaw 2020

Western Bay of Plenty District Council is reviewing its Speed Limits Bylaw and is seeking your views on the proposed changes.

The purpose of this bylaw is to enable Council to set speed limits on roads under its care, control or management. This bylaw does not apply to the State Highways in our District, which is the responsibility of the New Zealand Transport Agency. This means Council is not able to change speed limits on State Highways.

Reviewing the bylaw allows Council to respond to community requests for speed limit changes across our District (where technical assessment supports the change) and review the speed environments around schools in our District.

The costs to implement these changes on the local road network and also around our schools have been included in the Annual Plan 2020/21.

Feedback closes 4.00pm, Friday 4 September 2020.

Key changes proposed in the draft bylaw:

• Update of bylaw text to ensure it is consistent with legislation that's changed since the last substantive review in 2012.
• Introduced Urban Traffic Areas which set default speed limits of 50km/h. The extent and location of these areas are shown in the maps attached to the bylaw, and cover the main urban areas of the District. This approach means that new roads created (as a result of subdivision and growth) have a default speed limit of 50km/h, rather than having to wait for a bylaw review process for a speed limit to be set.
• Speed limit changes to the local road network. We assessed all requests we have received from the community since our last review in 2015, as well as any recommendations from Community Boards, Ward Forums and other committees of Council. All requests were then subject to technical assessment in accordance with the Land Transport Rule for setting speed limits and Speed Management Guide. The proposed changes (by ward) are outlined in the Statement of Proposal.
• Speed limit changes around our schools. The speed limit will reduce around school opening and closing time and the new variable speed limits are set at 40km/h. The schools where variable speed limits of 40km/h will be set are outlined in the Statement of Proposal.
• Installation of advisory active warning signs at rural schools. The following rural schools will have these signs installed - Rangiuru, Pongakawa, Omokoroa No. 1, Whakamarama and Pukehina.

More information:

• See the Statement of Proposal and Draft Bylaw in the Key Documents section of this page for full details on the proposed changes.

Ways to have your say:

• Complete the feedback form online (below).
• Email haveyoursay@westernbay.govt.nz
• Post it to Speed Limits Bylaw Review, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Private Bag 12803, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga 3143
  
• Deliver it to one of our libraries or service centres:

- Barkes Corner head office, 1484 Cameron Road, Greerton

- Te Puke Library and Visitor Information Centre, 130 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke

- The Centre - Patuki Manawa (Katikati Library), Service Centre and Community Hub, 21 Main Road, Katikati

- Waihi Beach Library and Service Centre, Waihi Beach Road

- Omokoroa Library and Service Centre, McDonnell Street, Omokoroa.

• Feedback forms are available online, through phoning the call centre (0800 926 732 or (07) 571 8008) to request a hard copy or at our service centres.
• You can speak to your feedback by registering.