The 50km/h speed limit through Rakaia township will remain in place, following overwhelming public support and safety evidence confirmed by the Transport Agency.

More than 1,400 submissions were received during the consultation on State Highway 1 through Rakaia, with residents, road safety groups, police, and council backing the need to keep speeds low through the busy township.

The Transport Agency said its technical assessments aligned with public feedback, confirming that 50km/h remains the safest option for the area. Although a legal requirement will temporarily revert the limit to 70km/h on 1 July, the National Speed Limit Register will immediately reinstate the 50km/h limit. There will be no visible change to signage or enforcement on the ground.

In addition, a new Intersection Speed Zone (ISZ) will be activated for Weavers Road, reducing speeds to 60km/h only when vehicles are turning in or out, especially around the new Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre currently under construction. The ISZ is designed to improve safety while causing minimal disruption to travel time — just 0.7 seconds per trip for most vehicles.

The Rakaia decision is part of a broader review of 16 “urban connector” state highway sections across New Zealand. Thirteen of those will retain their lower speed limits after strong community and stakeholder feedback pushed back against automatic increases under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024.

The review was required after regulatory changes triggered automatic reversions to older, higher limits unless evidence supported an exemption. Most of the reviewed sections pass through small towns, where traffic naturally slows and urban development has increased, making higher speeds unsuitable.

The Transport Agency said decisions were made after assessing technical reports, crash data, road layout, and a formal Cost Benefit Disclosure Statement, alongside consultation input.

In addition to Rakaia, speed limits will remain lower in 12 other locations.

Three areas will see changes:

• In Rotorua, SH30 and SH30A will increase to 60km/h for consistency with nearby roads and to reduce driver confusion.

• In Turangi, a section of SH1 previously proposed for a 60km/h limit will now be split. One part will retain the lower speed, while the rest will return to 100km/h.

All changes must be implemented by 1 July 2025.

The Transport Agency said it appreciated the volume and quality of feedback received during the Rakaia consultation and has published a full summary report responding to key themes and concerns. That report is available on the agency’s website.