Speed limit changes in North Nelson
29/10/2024 10:23am
Speed limits on the rural zones of Cable Bay Road and Maori Pa Road will be lowered to 80km/hr as a result of engagement on the Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan. Council received 27 submissions about these roads with 96% in favour of lowering the speed limit.
In late 2023-early 2024, both Council’s undertook extensive engagement and consultation with our communities receiving 2,200 submissions.
In July 2024, the Joint Committee of Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council adopted the Joint Speed Management Plan. The Director of Land Transport certified the Speed Management Plan on Friday 18 October 2024.
The new Setting of Speed Limits 2024 rule, which was gazetted by Central Government on 28 September 2024 and comes into force on 30 October 2024, allows changes such as those proposed for on Cable Bay Road and Maori Pa Road but would require Council to redo the lengthy speed limit process to put them in place.
On 22 October 2024, an extraordinary Council meeting was held to discuss and unanimously approve a timing adjustment for the implementation of the speed limit change on Maori Pa Road and Cable Bay Road from 14 July 2025 to 29 October 2024, bringing forward the date by nine months. Bringing the date forward and erecting the speed limit signs would mean that the speed limit was ‘in force’ by the commencement date of the rule and could remain.
“Cable Bay residents were clear about their preference for a lower speed limit and I would like to thank those residents who submitted so passionately on this topic,” says Deputy Mayor Rohan O’Neill-Stevens.
“Central Government needs to come back to the table on this and have a practical conversation with local government about how we can make changes that reflect the interests and needs of our communities. Ensuring these reductions can be implemented without further challenges is a step in the right direction to make Cable Bay Road and Maori Pa Road safer for residents and visitors alike.”
The new Setting of Speed Limit Rule 2024 requires variable speed limits outside all schools by 1 July 2026. Nelson currently propose to have these in place by mid July 2025 to coincide with the start of the third school term subject to funding. You can see the maps here: shape.nelson.govt.nz/creating-speed-management-plan.