Wood said the proposed changes were aimed at improving the planning and implementation of speed limit changes. Speed limit changes were made through local bylaws or a gazetting process, which Wood said was "time-consuming and complicated". In December last year a rural Rotorua school principal said he believed it would take a child's death for a speed limit reduction outside his school, which has a speed limit of 70 km/h. Lake Rerewhakaaitu School principal Rick Whalley said he "absolutely" supported a standardised national speed limit outside kura and schools of 40km/h. Following public consultation, the Setting of Speed Limits Rule will be finalised and is expected to be in place by the end of 2021.

Source: New Zealand Herald April 23, 2021 17:02 UTC