Phase Two Speed Management Plan changes approved

Approval has been granted for a series of speed limit changes to make our roads safer and better reflect how people actually use them.

Earlier this year, we asked for community feedback on phase two of the speed limit review, and 236 submissions were received. Many of you told us that speeds on some rural and residential streets feel too high, especially where there are no footpaths and lots of people walking, cycling, or going out for recreation.

In response, limits on rural residential and urban/rural fringe roads will be lowered to 50 – 60 km/h, down from the current 80 – 100 km/h. These changes reflect the fact that average travel speeds are already lower, while also making conditions safer for everyone.

We’re also reducing speeds on a number of well-used roads where safety clearly outweighs travel time – places like Mārahau Valley Road, Harvey Road, Aniseed Valley Road and Abel Tasman Drive.

For other winding or unsealed roads, and some urban streets without footpaths, advisory speed signs will guide drivers, with a few exceptions where formal changes are needed.

These adjustments are part of a nationwide approach to safer speed setting and respond directly to what our community has been asking for: streets where drivers, walkers, and cyclists can all feel safer.

To put things into perspective, we have 1,168 local roads in the Tasman District, and with changes from both phase one and two of the speed limit review, only 149 roads will have lower speed limits.

The new limits will be rolled out gradually between July 2026 and 2028, once approval is confirmed by NZTA Waka Kotahi.

See the full list of speed reductions here.

Changes in summary

Rural residential and peri-urban streets

  • New limits: 50–60 km/h (previously 80–100 km/h)
  • Many streets have low-density housing, no footpaths, and are used by walkers, cyclists, and recreational users.
  • Reductions reflect actual travel speeds (35–45 km/h) and improve safety for all road users.

Specific roads

  • Reductions will apply where safety benefits outweigh travel time concerns.
  • Considerations include mismatched limits, safety issues raised by residents or councillors, high numbers of walkers/cyclists, and recent changes to the road environment.
  • Roads include Marahau Valley Road, Harvey Road, Aniseed Valley Road, and Abel Tasman Drive.

Advisory signs for narrow or winding unsealed roads & urban roads without footpaths

  • Council will mainly use advisory speed signs, with formal reductions in some locations (e.g., Totaranui Road, Awaroa Road, Reilly Street, Junction Road). Read more here.

Why are these changes needed

  • Community members have consistently requested lower speeds in residential areas.
  • Changes align with the national Setting of Speed Limits Rule and current best practice.
  • Lower limits match how people already use these roads, making them safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Safe speeds are vital for safer, healthier, and more connected communities. Council thanks everyone who provided feedback.

What are we consulting on?

What are we consulting on?

We are consulting on proposals to lower speed limits for a number of local roads:

  • Narrow or winding tortuous unsealed roads reduced to 60km/h
  • Rural residential roads and peri-urban streets reduced to 50-60km/h
  • Urban roads which do not have footpaths reduced to 40km/h
  • Unsealed roads which include on-road sections of the Great Taste Trail and are currently over 80km/h reduced to 80km/h
  • Specific roads (see lists for each Ward for a full list of roads):
    • Abel Tasman Drive (sections)
    • Aniseed Valley Road
    • Collingwood Quay
    • Collingwood-Puponga Road (sections)
    • Eighty Eight Valley Road(sections)
    • Kaiteriteri-Sandy Bay Road
    • Riwaka-Kaiteriteri Road (section)
    • Korere-Tophouse (section)
    • McCallum Road
    • Motueka River Bank Road
    • Sandy Bay-Marahau Road
    • Seaton Valley Road
    • Tadmor Valley Road
    • Tapawera Baton Road

The changes on these roads were approved as part of the Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan at a Joint Council meeting of Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council in August 2024. This was after extensive consultation on speed limits in January & February 2024.

In October 2024, the Setting of the Speed Limits Rule 2024 was released. This Rule specifies the speed limits that Road Controlling Authorities are able to set for each class of road.

The rule also requires Council to re-consult on most proposed speed limit changes before we can implement our Speed Management Plan. This consultation material must now include a Cost Benefit Disclosure Statement for each road being consulted on.

Refer to separate Council Ward based consultation documents for proposed speed limits and benefit cost statements within each Ward

Please note: We are only consulting on local roads and not State Highways. Any changes to State Highway speeds will be undertaken by NZTA Waka Kotahi.

Road types and definitions

Road types and definitions

Unsealed rural roads are often narrow and winding with no road or edge markings, with visibility sometimes blocked by vegetation. Specific hazards may be identified with warning signs. There will be forestry and agricultural vehicles using these roads.

Improving these roads for safety would be very costly and is not considered a good use of resources. The recommended speed limit range for these roads, as set in the Speed Setting Rule, is 60-80km/h, which aligns with the general nature of these roads.

While the number of reported crashes on these roads is comparatively low, minor and non-injury crashes are considerably under reported. The low volumes of traffic on these roads, combined with the under reporting of crashes, mean that the number of crashes per km travelled is likely to be higher than the reported crash numbers suggest.

We have two speed related safety options for these unsealed roads that are narrow or winding:

  1. Lower speed limits to 60km/h or
  2. Use more advisory speeds on the roads.

There are pros and cons for each option:

Option one:

Option two

Speed limit reduction to 60km/h

Advisory Signs

Will cost more than just putting up cautionary signs (repeater signs required every 2km)

Cheaper option (repeater signs required every 8km)

Affordable option where traffic volumes and average speeds are already low

Enforceable

Not enforceable

Can be effective in reducing crashes

Can be effective in reducing crashes

Some drivers may consider a reduced speed limit the safe speed for a particular section of road, possibly resulting in an increased operating speed.

Not always as effective as some drivers may ignore the advisory speeds

Matches the recommended speed limits in the Speed Limit Setting Rule

Does not match the recommended speeds in the Speed Setting Rule

Approximate cost of signage by Ward for unsealed Roads that are narrow or winding

Ward

Speed Reductions

Advisory Signs*

Golden Bay

$32,000

$13,000

Lakes Murchison

$22,000

$16,000

Moutere Waimea

$20,000

$11,000

Motueka

$7,000

$3,000

Richmond

$1,000

Less than $1,000

Noting that some roads which have known safety issues may require additional treatment


In 2020, Nelson Tasman Community Speed Limit Feedback, 91% of respondents thought that a speed limit of less than 100km/h is appropriate for our Unsealed Rural – Narrow, Winding Roads:

  • 59% agreed with 60km/h limit (1051 responses),
  • 32% agreed with 80km/h limit (572 responses),
  • 9% agreed with 100km/h (154 responses)].

Examples of Tortuous unsealed roads: Images @Google Maps

Totaranui Road, Golden Bay

Aniseed Valley Road

These roads provide access to residential properties, but at a lower density than urban residential areas. They usually don’t have footpaths and people who are walking or cycling need to share the road with vehicles. The roads are generally mainly used by residents and these residents often use these roads for fitness and recreation. The number of these rural residential areas has grown in Tasman, and we have had many requests from local residents to reduce the speeds of these roads.

The current speed limits are between 80 to 100 km/h. Schedule 3 of the Speed Limit Setting Rule specifies the speed limit range for these roads as 50-80 km/h

In 2020, Nelson Tasman Community Speed Limit Feedback showed that 69% of respondents thought that a speed limit of less than 50km/h is appropriate for our Rural Residential Subdivision Roads

  • 22% agreed with 40km/h limit (397 responses),
  • 47% agreed with 50km/h limit (855 responses),
  • 20% agreed with 60km/h (369 responses).

Examples of rural residential roads: Images @Google Maps

Bronte Road East

Dodson Road, Tākaka

Urban Roads without footpaths

Some urban residential streets lack footpaths which can make walking or cycling dangerous. The Speed Setting Rule states that the speed limit range for urban streets with no footpaths as 40 km/h.

We have two speed related safety options for these roads without footpaths:

  1. Lower speed limits to 40km/h or
  2. Use more advisory signs on the roads.

There are pros and cons for each option:

Option one:

Option two

Speed limit reductions to 40km/h

Advisory Signs

Will cost more than advisory signs

Costs less than speed signs

Useful for areas such as holiday spots with people walking/cycling and many drivers not familiar with the area (e.g. Parapara and Patons Rock)

Can work well where traffic volume is already low and/or street is short

Enforceable

Not enforceable

30% chance of death if a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 40km/h. Noting that on some roads, speeds are already low, so this might not make a difference

80% chance of death if a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 50km/h.

Matches the recommended speed limits in the Speed Limit Setting Rule

Does not match the recommended speeds in the Speed limit Setting Rule

Approximate cost of signage by Ward for urban roads with no footpaths

Ward

Speed Reductions

Advisory Signs*

Golden Bay

$24,000

$19,000

Lakes Murchison

$2,000

$1,000

Moutere Waimea

$8,000

$6,000

Motueka

$2,000

$1,000

Richmond

$5,000

$4,000

Noting that some roads which are known safety issues may require additional treatment


In 2020, Nelson Tasman Community Speed Limit Feedback, 86% of respondents thought that a speed limit of less than 50km/h is appropriate for our Residential Street, No Footpath:
  • 40% agreed with 30km/h limit (726 responses),
  • 43% agreed with 40km/h limit (785 responses),
  • 17% agreed with 50km/h (318 responses).

Examples of urban roads with no footpaths: Images @Google Maps

Anarewa Crescent, Stephens Bay

Bishop Road, Parapara

There are several roads where we have community groups and residents advocating for lower speeds. These roads do not fit in any of the categories listed above. The new limits proposed for these roads meet the criteria of the Setting of the Speed Limits Rule. Many of these roads have a high number of recreational vehicles such as the Sandy-Bay Marahau Road, Aniseed Valley Road. Included in the specific road list are some on-road sections of the Great Taste Trail that are currently 100km/h.

Some of our narrow and winding unsealed roads have very short roads adjacent, in these instances it is proposed that these side roads are also reduced. For example, Newport Road which is adjacent to Tapawera Baton Road.

Things you need to know

Phase One (Approved and will be implemented mid-year)

We previously consulted on proposed speed reductions on our high-risk roads, base speed limit reductions on rural roads adjacent to schools, and McShane Road. On the 27th of March 2025, the Council resolved to change those limits. The Director of Land Transport certified these changes on 30 May, and installation will take place in the upcoming months.

Variable speed limits outside schools

Consultation is not required for new variable 30km/h limits outside schools, which are required by the Setting of Speed Limits Rule. Council resolved to implement these limits on 27 March 2025

Strategic context and the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport

Our speed changes must also align with the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport (2024– 2034), which sets the Government’s strategic priorities for land transport investment over a 10-year period. Transport spending is required to meet the strategic priorities as outlined in the GPS. One of the strategic priorities relates directly to safety.

There is also no currently available funding to improve walking and cycling facilities in rural residential areas or for urban areas without footpaths therefore the most efficient and cost-effective way to improve road safety is with speed reductions. Previous community consultation indicated strong public support for lower speeds in the areas specified above. We also have had a range of requests for reductions on the specific roads.

What's proposed ward by ward

Get more details about what's happening where you live.

Myths and misconceptions

State Highways

State Highways speed limits are managed by Waka Kotahi. For more information about State Highway speed changes

Click here for information