For immediate release: Thursday, 14 August 2025
Whakatāne District Council has formally adopted a series of speed limit changes across the district, following Infrastructure and Planning Committee recommendations to improve safety on high-risk roads.
The decision, made at the Council meeting on 14 August, confirms that 18 out of 19 proposed speed limit reductions will be implemented. These changes are based on technical assessments, crash data, and community feedback, and aim to reduce the number and severity of crashes across the district.
Ann-Elise Reynolds, Manager Transportation, says the changes are a proactive step toward safer roads. These decisions around speed limits are guided by technical data, community feedback, and the insights of elected members who represent local needs and priorities.
“Public feedback plays an important role in shaping decisions, but we also rely on our elected members to speak on behalf of their communities, balancing local insight with broader safety, planning, and wellbeing considerations,” said Ms Reynolds.
“In some cases, this means making decisions that don’t fully align with consultation feedback. With public safety as the priority, these changes are about protecting lives and creating safer roads for everyone.”
In the 2024/25 financial year, the Whakatāne District experienced a 44 percent increase in deaths and serious injuries on local roads. The estimated economic cost of these crashes was $41.5 million. Behind these numbers are real people who have been impacted by crashes on local roads.
The changes focus on known danger zones across the district, including bends on Withy and Thornton Roads where traffic volumes continue to rise, unsealed roads in Waiōhau that affect the local community, and practical speed reductions along the airport road and the new residential area on Shaw Road.
National research shows that even modest speed reductions can significantly reduce both the likelihood and severity of crashes. A 2024 Waka Kotahi economic review found that speed reductions implemented between 2020 and 2023 prevented an estimated 27 deaths and serious injuries per year, with benefits outweighing travel delays by a factor of two to ten.
“We know that even small decreases in speed can make a big difference in crash outcomes,” said Ms Reynolds. “These changes are about saving lives, especially in places where people walk, cycle, or live close to the road. It’s a practical, cost-effective way to make our roads safer.”
Key changes include:
- Withy Road: 100 → 70 km/h
- Te Teko Road (urban section): 100 → 50 km/h
- Thornton Road (SH30 to Blueberry Curves): 100 → 80 km/h
- Ōhope Road (Ōtarawairere to West End): Temporary 60 → Permanent 60 km/h
- Shaw Road subdivision: 100 → 50 km/h
- West End Road: 50 → 30 km/h
- Galatea, Pukehou, Papanui, Tawhia Roads (Waiōhau): All reduced to 60 km/h
- Airport, Tassel Drive: 60 → 30 km/h
- One proposed change, to reduce Valley Road to 50 km/h, was not adopted. The speed limit will remain at 70 km/h.
The rollout of new signage and enforcement is expected to begin in early 2026, subject to funding and resourcing. The total cost of implementation is estimated at $165,000, including $45,000 for electronic signage.
Speed limits will now be reviewed every three years, in line with updated national guidance.
Those wanting to find out more about this project can visit the Local Road Speed Limits project page: Local road speed limits - Ngā Pae Tere | Whakatāne District Council.