Auckland Transport has announced it will accelerate its plan to cut speed limits on dangerous roads around Auckland.
- The devastation of the road toll through the eyes of first responders
- As other countries' road tolls slow down, New Zealand's is on the rise
Spokesperson Mark Hannan said while Auckland Transport's original target was addressing 5 per cent of high risk roads over the next three years, they now plan to double this figure.
"We now have a target of addressing 10 per cent in three years. We are accelerating the programme because having safe and appropriate speed limits across our network will have the greatest effect in dealing with the increase in deaths and serious injuries."
The plan's initial stages will affect city centre gateways, and town centre roads Tamaki Drive, Hibiscus Coast Highway, Sandringham Rd, Broadway in Newmarket, Onehunga Mall, Great South Rd, Beach Rd in Torbay, Kitchener Rd in Milford, and Victoria Rd and Queens Parade in Devonport.
Residential areas being assessed are Te Atatu South - including west of Te Atatu Rd, Vera Rd, Royal View Rd and Vodanovich Drive - as well as Papakura, including Park Estate Rd, Chichester Rd, and Rosehill Dr.
Speed changes in rural areas will focus around Franklin - including Glenbrook Rd, Waiuku Rd, Cape Hill Rd, Kingseat Rd, Mckenzie Rd, Linwood Rd, Alfriston Rd, Brookby Rd, North Rd, Trig Rd, West Rd, Whitford Park Rd, Whitford Rd, Whitford-Maraetai Rd - and Rodney, including Matakana Rd, Sandspit Rd, Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Dairy Flat Highway, Old North Rd, and Paremoremo Rd.
The change will include reducing speed limits as well as other speed reduction measures such as speed humps on at least 10 per cent of the road network, better and safer pedestrian infrastructure, safety cameras, and high friction road surfacing which can reduce the risk of skidding.
High risk rural roads may be reduced from 100 km/h to 80km/h. In the city and town centres, speed limits as low as 30km/h could be enforced due to the number of people walking and riding bikes.
In 2017, 64 people died on Auckland roads and an additional 749 were seriously injured, according to Auckland Transport data.
"On average, one person dies and 14 others are seriously injured every week on Auckland's roads," Mr Hannan said.
He says these figures are "unacceptable".
The organisation told the Auckland Council on Tuesday that they aim to reduce death and serious injuries on the road by 60 per cent over the next ten years.
Newshub.
