Speed Management Plan Review 2022

Overview

Hamilton City Council (Council) is seeking feedback on a proposal to make changes to the Hamilton Speed Management Plan to comply with recent legislative changes and a new national ‘certification’ process.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) is working on a new regulatory framework for speed management to improve how Road Controlling Authorities (RCA’s) plan for, consult on, and implement speed management changes. This process now takes a ‘whole-of-network’ approach, so that decisions about safety-related infrastructure improvements, speed limit changes and safety camera placements are made together and reflected in a speed management plan.

The proposed plan would contain principles and approaches to give a 10-year view – prioritisation, sequencing and parameters outlined in a three-year implementation plan. With area speed limit reviews, focusing on the application of principles to a specific area, like Hamilton City.

Alongside this, the new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022 (the Rule), will replace the current Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017 and will enable an improved approach to speed management planning on New Zealand roads.

Hamilton already has a speed management plan, so we have completed a review and refresh of our current plan to ensure that it will be current and in compliance with the new requirements when they come into place.

The Rule changes made are aligned with the following:

• The Speed Limit Rule changes that are happening in 2022;
• New Zealand’s Road to Zero road safety strategy and action plan;
• The National Speed Management Guide from Waka Kotahi;
• The Waka Kotahi Sustainability Action Plan, Toitū te Taio;
• The National Safer Journeys Road Safety Strategy; and,
• The new movement and place based One Network Framework approach to categorising New Zealand’s streets and roads.

HAMILTON’S STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Hamilton’s speed management plan was first adopted in June 2019. Council is required to review the existing Speed Management Plan to align with the changes from Waka Kotahi on speed management in New Zealand for our Speed Management Plan to be “certified” by Waka Kotahi.

Hamilton City Council had adopted Vision Zero as the philosophy for road safety in the city, as an aspiration to achieve zero road deaths and serious injuries within Hamilton. The relationship between speed and road accidents is well-established internationally, and managing speed is one pillar of the safe transport system approach.

We want everyone who calls Hamilton home, or visits our city, to be safe when using our streets and roads. That means we need the right speeds on our roads for all, whether you are walking to the shops, biking to school, driving to work or making deliveries. All our road users are affected by vehicle speeds.

The speed management plan is about achieving safe and appropriate speeds that reflect road functions, design, safety, and use. The plan is the guiding document that sets out what work needs to be done by who, where, how and finally an indication of funding to implement this work, with a focus on the next two financial years leading into the Regional Land Transport Fund and Council’s 2021-2031 Long Term Plan.

The following principles have been adopted and guide the application of speed management within Hamilton:

i. The speed environment around schools at the start and end of the school day will be 30km/h;

ii. Where there are high numbers of people walking, biking and crossing the road, the speed environment will be 30km/h;

iii. Residential local roads will be constructed for a 40km/h environment;

iv. New roads will be constructed appropriate to their function and to create a safe and appropriate environment;

v. Existing roads may be upgraded appropriate to their function and to create a safe and appropriate environment;

vi. A logical, area-based approach will be used for the implementation of speed management;

vii. Investment will be targeted to achieve the best access and safety outcomes; and

viii. We will work with partnering RCA’s to provide a consistent approach in line with the Speed Management Guide.

The following priorities guide us in our approach to implementing speed management:

i. High benefit routes which deliver maximum benefit in reducing deaths and serious injuries;

ii. Places where there is strong community demand for change;

iii. Supporting changes in neighbouring areas to achieve consistent and logical implementation; and,

iv. Places where lots of people walk or bike, or where they will soon walk and bike.

Why your views matter

PROPOSAL

Council are proposing minor changes to the current Hamilton Speed Management Plan to ensure its alignment with Waka Kotahi under their new speed management guidance and prepare it for the certification process.

Alongside this review, we are also keeping it up to date to ensure it reflects current best practice, the city’s long-term philosophies, plans, policies and strategies such as:

• Council’s commitment to the Vision Zero philosophy;
• Council’s Access Hamilton Strategy (which is currently under review);
• Hamilton Waikato’s mode-shift plan.

We are seeking feedback on the review of the plan from people who will or may be affected by, or have an interest in, the proposed changes.

After reviewing all roads within the Hamilton City boundary, in alignment with the approved guiding speed management principals and priorities and tools (MegaMaps) provided by Waka Kotahi, we have mapped a speed management vision for Hamilton. 

Please scroll down the page to the Related section to view Map and a copy of the Speed Management Plan.

It is important to note that the scope of the plan review excludes the setting/changing of speed limits, these are addressed and controlled by the Hamilton Speed Limit Bylaw.

If our speed management process shows a need for a speed limit change, a legal process must be followed using the Hamilton Speed Limit Bylaw 2018. We will always consult with stakeholders and the community before asking Council to decide on whether to approve a change to the bylaw’s register of speed limits.

REASONS FOR THE PROPOSAL

Council are proposing a review of the speed management plan to support changes to the city’s long-term vision for speed management, and the recent legislative changes that have been made in the previous two years.

The purpose of this review is to manage speeds on Hamilton roads to achieve and increase road safety and allow for better pedestrian accessibility.

The purpose of this document is to create an implementation plan related to safer speeds in Hamilton. The plan works alongside the Hamilton Speed Management Bylaw (2018). The plan covers all roads (excluding state highways) in Hamilton City Council’s district. Waka Kotahi controls the setting of speed limits on state highways.

The key reasons for the proposal are:

• Recent and proposed legislative changes and guidance, for example Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits;
• Government Policy Statement – Road to Zero, Land Transport;
• Preparing for the certification process;
• Provide certainty of the programme of work coming up by developing an implementation plan;
• Alignment with Council’s long-term vision for speed limits for the city; and,
• Recent data collection and associated insights.

OPTIONS

The following options have been identified as a means of achieving improved speed management in Hamilton and alignment with national direction on speed management. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each option is provided in the table below.

NEXT STEPS

Council will collect and analyse all feedback at the close of the submission period. The analysis of this feedback will be presented to the Hearings and Engagement Committee on Tuesday 21 June 2022. At this meeting, submitters who want to speak to their written submission will be able to do so. Council will then consider all the views and make a decision.