Simeon Brown’s proposed new Draft Speed Rule, is a petrol-headed fever-dream aimed to unravel recent proven life-saving speed limits – all to shave a few mythical minutes off commutes while endangering everyone not in a car – particularly the young. It will certainly kill people.

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Urban, peopled streets, will no longer be slower than 50k without costly claims, school kids will be endangered and arterial roads turned to race ways.

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THE TL;DR

BROWN’S BILL AIMS TO… 
Reverse recent moderate speed reductions on urban roads despite evidence showing their life-saving success.

Urban streets, even those with shops, houses and on-street activities, would no longer be allowed to be lower than 50km/h.

Forbid local authorities lowering speeds below new limits, banning 30km/h limits in urban areas, and mandate 100km/h on highways.

Force councils to apply Variable Speed Limit 30km/h zones set just 150m each side of the gate; with adjacent streets reverting to 50km/h.

Require costly cost-benefit analyses for reducing speeds from 50km/h in urban areas and 100km/h on arterial roads.



WHAT ARE VARIABLE SPEED LIMITS?
A Variable Speed Limit (VSL) lowers speed, like to 30km/h, only at specific times, such as school start and end times, then reverts to 50km/h. This is costlier and less safe, as 85% of school area injuries happen outside pick-up/drop-off times (source: AT). Kids use these streets all day. Permanent limits are easier to follow and safer for everyone.


REALITIES THE BILL IGNORES
(Via Healthy Auckland Together)
In Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, safer speed limits introduced have reduced road crash deaths by 30% (HAT), against a general city-wide  9% increase in deaths (HAT).

78% of school leaders in Tāmaki Makaurau supported permanent safe-speed zones around schools (HAT OIA request).

80% of people in NZ cities think we should invest to allow all children to cycle to school safely (NZTA: Urban Cycling Attitudes, 2016).

85% of deaths and serious injuries outside schools occur when variable limits are not operating (AT, 2022).

Every week in Tāmaki Makaurau, 12 people die or are seriously injured on roads (HAT analysis of Waka Kotahi data, 2023).

Active transport users are 36% of crash deaths and serious injuries (AT Equity and Road Harm Report, 2022).

Children are 6% of deaths and serious injuries (HAT analysis of Waka Kotahi data, 2023)

USEFUL READING
Auckland schools ‘shocked and confused’ over speed limit | 1news

Analysis: Five reasons the Govt should slow down on raising speed limits |  Simon Kingham – The Conversation

Auckland Council votes against raising speed limits, opposing government plan | RNZ

Speak up for safe speeds | Greater Auckland

Every child deserves the freedom to walk and bike to school safely in Aotearoa | Julie-Ann Genter

Call To Action

Get an overview on the bill.

Submissions close Thursday 11 July.

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