Open letter to Minister of Transport about Auckland Speed Rule
Living Streets Aotearoa has joined All Aboard Aotearoa, Bike Auckland, Walk Auckland, and Brake NZ, school principals and local communities in sending an open letter to the Minister of Transport Chris Bishop to let Aucklanders keep safe speeds on their streets. The letter calls on the Minister to urgently:
- Work with Auckland Transport to let Aucklanders keep Safe Speed Zones in the city
- In the Speed Rule, include 30 km/h as an option on urban roads for future consultations
Add your signature to support the letter
What is Auckland Transport’s approach to the Speed Rule?
Auckland Transport continues to maintain their proposed approach to implement the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 by raising speeds in one fell swoop on approximately 1500 Auckland roads on 1 July 2025.
On 1 July, the speed limit on streets nearby and at schools will go up to 50 km/h, except for certain times in the day, where roads right outside a school will have a 30 km/h limit. This confusing setup is likely to lead to poor driving and dangerous situations, because the speed limit will change for a short section outside schools, but only at certain times on weekdays.
LSA supports safe speeds for our streets. Safe speeds are speeds where if a crash occurs death or serious injury is unlikely in the case of a motor vehicle colliding with a pedestrian or other unprotected road user. This threshold is approximately 30km/hr according to scientifically valid studies.
Increasing the speed limit indiscriminately on streets across Tamaki Makaurau will put lives at risk and undo previous progress that made it safer for kids to walk and cycle to school.
What has LSA been doing?
Living Streets Aotearoa has been working with the above coalition of Auckland-based and national groups to encourage Auckland Transport to follow the lead of other Road Controlling Authorities, notably Hamilton City Council, and take an approach that protects safe speeds on the maximum possible number of streets – an approach which the Minister himself has supported in the House. This approach is legally possible, technically possible, politically advantageous, and would be of enormous service to Aucklanders, in particular parents and children.
You can view the coalition’s presentation to Auckland Transport on 29 April 2025. LSA has also written to Auckland Transport directly, and been in touch with other Councils. Many of them are successfully prioritising the protection of safe speeds within the framework of the Speed Rule.