Speed limits to be lowered on Upper Hutt roads
Published on 04 December 2023
Upper Hutt City Council has approved the lowering of speed limits on two sections of roads in the city following public consultation on its Interim Speed Management plan (ISMP) earlier this year.
Alexander Road and an adjoining section of Messines Avenue that currently have an 80 km/h speed limit will reduce to 50 km/h, while sections of Moonshine Hill Road and Kirton Drive that have a 100 km/h speed limit will come down 60 km/h.
The new speed limits will be in place from Monday 11 December.
Council has been working with Waka Kotahi to implement speed reductions, particularly around schools, and other residential streets.
The initiative, which falls under the Government’s Road to Zero road safety strategy, was developed to accelerate meeting the target of a 40 percent reduction in deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2030.
Public consultation on the ISMP ran from 17 March to 14 April following a Council workshop in February.
Council CE Geoff Swainson said 67 percent of respondents supported the proposed changes in the ISMP, and 23 percent requested further safety improvements.
“Upper Hutt City Council is committed to providing the highest level of road safety possible to all Upper Hutt residents by carrying out infrastructure improvements and speed management changes that result in safer roads,” he says.
“I’d like to thank the members of our community who provided invaluable feedback.”
Council is continuing its work on speed reductions on other roads throughout Upper Hutt.
This included a wider consultation on speed limits around schools and some rural areas in October. Hearing meetings for submitters to present their views in person are scheduled for 11 and 12 December.