Speed limits in Western Bay town centres are set to decrease, with changes also planned for areas around rural schools. The town centres of Waihi Beach, Ōmokoroa, and Te Puke will have their speed limits reduced to 40kph, unless the current speed is already lower. However, these changes will not come into effect for at least 18 months.
A debate occurred during a council meeting about whether to lower the speed limit to 60kph or 80kph outside rural schools. This would apply outside the current 30kph limit during peak hours. Councillor Don Thwaites argued for the 60kph limit, stating it would encourage drivers to slow down, especially as many activities occur outside traditional school hours.
However, other councillors expressed concern about the effectiveness of this limit, as they believe it would not be strictly enforced by the police. Despite this, the 80kph limit outside rural schools was adopted by a split vote of six to four.
The council is also required to engage with tangata whenua (the local Maori people), order new speed limit signs, develop an implementation programme, and find a contractor for the work. The new speed limits need to be aligned with the National Speed Limit Register to be legally enforced. The community will be informed of the changes as they happen.
