A raft of speed limit changes - including substantial reductions for both arterial routes and Wānaka’s CBD - will be considered by councillors at Thursday’s (August 31) council meeting.

Elected members will be asked to sign off on consultation on the Speed Management Plan (SMP) 2024-2027, which proposes various speed limit reductions including more than 20 roads in the Upper Clutha where limits would be reduced from 100kph to 40kph or 60kph

The proposal recommends reducing the speed limit from 100kph to 80kph on another 30-or-so Upper Clutha roads.

For the Wānaka CBD, a reduction from 40kph to 30kph or lower is proposed on most town-centre streets, including Ardmore, Dungarvon, Brownston, Dunmore and Helwick.

The SMP also recommends reducing the speed limit on Aubrey Road to 40kph (from 60kph), Cardrona Valley Road to 80kph (from 100kph) and Golf Course road to 40kph (from 70kph).

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said the changes were focused around ‘community focused areas’, ‘key unsealed tourist routes’, schools, and new subdivisions.

He said the proposed SMP had been developed “through a technical review of our network and in line with clear principles for speed management”. 

The council was required to create an SMP when Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) announced last year it was introducing the new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, which meant the council’s speed bylaw was revoked.

“We know speed is an important issue for our community and many have differing views on how lower speed limits affect them,” Tony said. 

“We’re now seeking approval to start community consultation next month and hope to hear from a wide range of people to help finalise the priorities.”

If councillors approve consultation on the draft SMP on Thursday, consultation is expected to start in early-mid September. 

PHOTO: Wānaka App