Some potential relief on the horizon for communities keen to keep their safe speeds. Minister Chris Bishop recently gave a clear nod, in Parliament, to Hamilton’s approach to the Speed Rule — which we understand is much more nuanced than AT’s sweeping, blanket reversal of almost all safe speed limits across 1500 streets.
The ball is now firmly in AT’s court, as it hurries to confirm which streets and which neighbourhoods will have their speed limits raised from 30km/h to 50km/h whether communities like it or not. As we’ve previously covered, many of these streets may have been swept up in error.
Bike Auckland and fellow advocacy organisations have urgently alerted the chair of the AT Board to this encouraging Ministerial direction (see our email below) . We’ve also asked for immediate confirmation that AT is working with the minister to resolve the situation before proceeding with unnecessary changes that will cause harm to Aucklanders.
There is a Board meeting on Tuesday and we’ve asked to speak on this point — EDIT: and we shall be doing so! Alongside Living Streets Aotearoa, All Aboard, and Brake.
Please join us in writing to the AT Board Chair Richard Leggat (leggatr@mac.com) and CEO Dean Kimpton (dean.kimpton@at.govt.nz) asking them to take all steps necessary to follow the Minister’s direction to keep our safe speeds.
It’s not too late to turn this around and achieve a rational outcome that respects both the evidence and the wishes of communities across the city.
Email to Auckland Transport on Minister’s direction on keeping safe speeds
Bike Auckland has joined All Aboard, Living Streets Aotearoa and Brake, the road safety charity in writing to AT Board Chair Richard Leggat (CC: AT Board members, AT CEO Dean Kimpton, Mayor Wayne Brown and Cr Andy Baker, Chair Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee)
Since we sent our 10 April response to Auckland Transport’s CEO Dean Kimpton outlining further assessment errors, Minister Bishop issued clarifications on the Speed Rule in response to Oral Questions in the House.
No doubt you, like us, will have been at pains to consider the implications of his replies. It is now clear to all of us that the AT Board can indeed act swiftly to retain the majority of safe speeds in neighbourhoods across the city with clear community support. Doing so will not only avoid hundreds of deaths and serious injuries on Auckland roads, but will also save unnecessary spending on the changes, and retain community confidence.
As you will be aware, on Thursday 10 April the Minister said that he believes the Speed Rule allows for “local authorities and NZTA to retain safer speed limits of 30 km/h where there is strong community support, especially around schools and aged-care facilities”. He cited Hamilton City Council (HCC) as an example of a Road-Controlling Authority that “has already started” this process.
HCC has concluded that the majority of their safe speed zones in neighbourhoods around schools can be kept. What’s more the Minister has made clear that HCC’s approach is available to all RCAs including Auckland Transport. He has given this direction in clear support of councils retaining the status quo where there is community support. This news will come as an overwhelming relief to concerned elected members, Auckland schools and communities, many of whom you will have been hearing from.
As Chair of the AT Board, you can now exercise timely wisdom and responsible governance by taking the direction provided by Minister Bishop. A course correction at this stage is both possible and vital in order to reduce damage to AT’s reputation and avoid harm to the Aucklanders whose wellbeing is in your hands.
By way of support, we are also asking the Mayor and Chair of the Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee, Andy Baker to provide AT with clear direction to act swiftly on the Minister’s latest clarifications.
We urge you to secure confirmation from the Minister of his direction and to work with NZTA in order to greatly reduce the number of affected streets and communities. We are happy to meet with AT staff to support this process.
We seek prompt resolution of this issue, for everyone’s sake. Currently hundreds of volunteer hours are being diverted to the campaign to save our safe speed limits. We would much rather be working with AT to make our streets safer for everyone, especially ahead of Road Safety Week 12-18 May. The theme this year is Be a road safety hero, particularly by looking out for people on foot and bike.
We look forward to your response and to working with AT to help everyone move forward together.
