Draft Speed Limits Bylaw 2020

Statement of Proposal

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Introduction

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

The bylaw enables 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 are the responsibility of the Transport Agency. This means Council is not able to change speed limits on State Highways. This Statement of Proposal summarises the proposed changes to the bylaw.

With legislation affecting how we set speed limits proposed to change in the coming year, we are making a few interim changes 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.

Reasons for the proposal

The last comprehensive review of the bylaw was in 2012, with some specific changes made to speed limits up until 2015. New legislation in 2015 directed Councils to follow a more rigorous process to set speed limits. This means that the process takes longer and costs more.

We’ve also been seeking to align our approach with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), particularly with its review of speed limits on State Highway 2. NZTA undertook consultation on its proposed speed limit changes for State Highway 2 in December 2019. There are cost implications from signage for Council if our local roads are not set to the same limit as the State Highway.

At the end of 2019, Government signalled it would be changing legislation to change the way that Councils set speed limits. Councils will no longer use bylaws to set speed limits, but must develop a speed management plan that takes a wider view of the roading network, including safety upgrades and engineering solutions. At this time the legislative change is progressing, but there is no certainty as to when it will take effect.

Despite these challenges, Council acknowledges that there are several locations in our District where there has been community support to reduce speed limits, especially as our District grows and roads become busier.

Our proposed changes seek to respond to these requests, where technical assessment has supported the change, to ensure improved safety outcomes on our roading network. There are changes proposed in each ward, as well as around some of our schools.

We are expecting that the new legislation will require us to do a review of our whole roading network in the coming 12 months, so this review is focused on areas of known community concern.

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Summary of proposed changes

The main areas of change proposed in the draft Speed Limits Bylaw are:

• 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 on 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 Rule and Speed Management Guide. The proposed changes are set out below, by ward.

Proposed changes to speed limits in the / Ward Road Name (km/h) Where speed limit is proposed to start Where speed limit is proposed to end Seaforth Road 50 At existing 50km/h sign near Albacore Ave 150m East of Albacore Ave Just before Bowentown Reserve Car Park Seaforth Road 50 Pio Road RAB Entrance Sharp Road 80 SH2 End of Road

Tetley Road 50 98 Tetley Road Wills Road

Rereatukahia Road 60 Tetley Road End of Maintained Section Rereatukahia Pa Road 40 Rereatukahia Road End of Maintained Section Lindemann Road 80 SH2 End of Road

Wilson Road, Waihi Beach 40 The Crescent Dillon Street Waihi Beach Road 80 District Boundary Existing 50km/h Zone Beach Road, Waihi Beach 40 Oceanview Road End of Road

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Proposed changes to speed limits in the Kaimai Ward Road Name (km/h) Where speed limit is proposed to start Where speed limit is proposed to end Joyce Road 80 Road SH36 Oropi Road 80 Wood Road Oropi Village 50km/h Zone Oropi Road 50 50km/h Sign at Village End 50m after McPhail Road Omanawa Road 80 SH29 McLaren Falls Road Oropi Gorge Road 60 150m West of Water Tanks Access Oropi Road Anderley Avenue 40 Ōmokoroa Rd End of Road Oikimoke Road 60 Lochhead Road End of Road Clarke Road 80 SH2 Te Puna Station Road Snodgrass Road 60 50m South of Borrell Road 1200m North of Borrell Road Newnham Road 60 Snodgrass Road End of Road I'Anson Road 60 Munro Road End of Road Munro Road 60 SH2 Te Puna Quarry Road Florence Lane 60 Minden Road End of Road Crawford Road 80 Wairoa Road End of Road Minden Road 60 Existing 80km/h sign Existing Deregulation Sign Near Minden Look out Junction Road 80 Minden Road Crawford Road Te Puna Station Road 60 SH2 Clarke Road Te Puna Station Road 80 Clarke Road Te Puna Road Opureora Road 60 Wharf 55 Opureora Road Poripori Road 80 SH29 Crawford Road

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Proposed changes to speed limits in the / Ward Road Name (km/h) Where speed limit is proposed to start Where speed limit is proposed to end No. 2 Road/Boucher Ave 50 End of 50km/h zone Additional 600m South Manoeka Rd 60 Te Puke Quarry Road End of Road No. 1 Road 50 End of 50km/h zone End of Curved section No. 3 Road 50 Jellicoe Street 106 No.3 Road Wilson Road South 50 McKenzie Road End of 50km/h zone Ford Road 80 From 750m North of Kaituna Road End of Road Arawa Road 60 SH2 End of Road Pah Road 80 Te Puke Highway End of houses

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• Speed limit changes around our schools

We have reviewed the speed environment around all of our schools in the District, and assessed where changes using variable speed limits (to reduce speeds at school open/close times) and active school warning signage is appropriate.

The following schools are proposed to have new variable speed limits set at 40 km/h between the times set out below. This means that the speed limit will reduce around school opening and closing time, when traffic and pedestrians peak around the school area. They will revert back to the regular speed limit of 50km/h outside of those specified times. The times vary from school to school

The schools where variable speed limits of 40km/h will be set are:

School Where the variable speed limit applies Times where 40 km/h applies Katikati Primary School and Katikati • Beach Road, Katikati – From 10m east of Carisbrooke 8:20am - 8:55am and 2:50pm - 3:10pm during College Street to 50m West of Fairview Road school term • Beach Road, Waihi Beach – From 50m north of Wilson 8:20am - 8:55am and 2:50pm - 3:10pm during Waihi Beach School Road RAB to 50m south of Browns Drive school term

• Oropi Rd, Oropi Village – from 15 m east of Oropi 8:20am - 8:55am and 2:35pm - 2:55pm during Oropi School Gorge Rd (RP 11.847) to 100 m south of Gamman Mill school term Rd (RP 12.206)

• Wilson Road North, Maketu – From 100m East of 8:20am - 8:55am and 2:50pm - 3:10pm during Maketu School Spencer Avenue to 300m East of School Road school term

• Old Coach Rd, – from 70m south of Wilson Rd South (RP 70) to 265 m south of Sunset Drive (RP 605) Paengaroa School 8:20am - 8:55am and 2:50pm - 3:10pm during • Sunset Dr, Paengaroa – from 70m west of Old Coach school term Rd (RP 200) to Old Coach Rd (RP 270) • Black Rd, Paengaroa – from Old Coach Rd (RP 0) to 55m east of Old Coach Rd (RP 55)

• Cameron Road, Te Puke – from 145m south of Hookey Te Puke Intermediate 8:05am-8:50am and 2:55pm-3:30pm during Drive intersection to 143 Cameron Road and Kylemore school term Place intersection.

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Alongside this bylaw review, we are also installing advisory active warning signs (like the one pictured to the right) at the following rural schools: • School • School • Ōmokoroa No.1 School • School • School

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

The draft bylaw is provided alongside this Statement of Proposal. See the back page of this statement of proposal for details on how to have your say – with the consultation period closing on 4 September 2020.

There are best practice guidelines setting out the appropriate roading conditions for where a variable speed limit is appropriate, and where active warning signs are more effective. The proposals made in the draft bylaw take into account these guidance notes.

Factors required for the successful operation of a 40km/h variable speed limit in a school zone are usually in urban areas and have: • having times of operation coinciding with on-road, school-related activity • approved advisory signs and regulatory displays that alert motorists they are travelling through a school zone • appropriate levels of enforcement by the police • long-term commitment by the principal and Board of Trustees for the correct operation of a 40km/h variable speed limit at their school. Rural school environments are more suited to active warning signs, because in areas with a speed limit over 80km/h it is unlikely that motorists will slow to 40km/h within the short length of a school zone.

How are speed limits set?

The Land Transport Act 19981 empowers Council to set speed limits on roads for which it is the Road Controlling Authority. This must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017, and with regard to the direction set out in the Speed Management Guide. This framework enables appropriate speed limits to be assessed in a consistent manner nationally.

Council must also seek community views on proposed speed limits changes, and take these view into account when adopting its final bylaw.

This requires Council to balance technical information and expertise with community views on what is an appropriate speed for their road or area. Similarly, there are other interventions to

1 Section 22AB(1)(d)

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create safer roads that can be considered alongside speed limits, such as advisory signage, engineering upgrades and safety infrastructure treatments.

Default speed limits in New Zealand are 50km/h in designated urban areas, and 100km/h on rural/open roads. Aside from these default speed limits, Council uses its bylaw to set:

1. Permanent speed limits – the limit which replaces the default limit that applies to the road (unless one of the following special limits is applied) 2. Variable speed limits – applies only in certain conditions (for instance, a school speed zone in relation to school commencing or finishing) 3. Holiday speed limits – applies only during specified times of the year.

Council can also set temporary or emergency speed limits outside of the bylaw process for certain unexpected road conditions, using the process set out in the Rule.

The Police are responsible for monitoring and enforcing the speed limits set by this proposed bylaw.

Have your say

We need your feedback by 4pm 4 September 2020

Please tell us what you think of what we are proposing.

You can do this by: • Entering it online at: https://haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz • Posting it to: Speed Limits Bylaw Review, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Private Bag 12803, 3143. • Emailing it to: [email protected] • Delivering it to: o Barkes Corner head office, 1484 Cameron Road, o Te Puke Library and Visitor Information Centre, 130 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke o The Centre – Pātuki Manawa (Katikati Library), Service Centre and Community Hub, 21 Main Road, Katikati o Waihi Beach Library and Service Centre, Waihi Beach Rd o Ōmokoroa Library and Service Centre, McDonnell Street, Ōmokoroa

Feedback forms are available online, through phoning the call centre to request a hard copy, or at our service centres.

Giving effective feedback

Online and hard copy submission forms provide the opportunity to express your views on the proposals. These forms include a question on the key changes we are consulting on, and ask for your opinion on it.

You may also wish to comment on specific the clause(s) of the draft Bylaw, and state why the clause is supported, not supported, or how it could be amended.

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If you would like to give feedback in person, please email [email protected] or phone 07 571 8008, or make sure you have ticked the box on the feedback form. We will be in contact to let you know when and where you can speak to your feedback – it will depend on the number and location of people wanting to speak.

What happens next?

Council will acknowledge in writing or by email (if provided) the receipt of your feedback. If you have questions, or if you would like to give feedback in person, we encourage you to email [email protected] or phone 07 571 8008. If you have expressed a wish to give feedback in person, staff will be in touch to arrange a time.

Key Timeframes:

Period for feedback opens: 3 August 2020 Period for feedback closes: 4 September 2020 Hearings (if required): Early/mid September 2020 Bylaw comes into effect: 1 December 2020

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