Speed limit rising to 110km/h on safe roads

The speed limit on two major sections of road is set to rise to 110km/h from today.

Sections on the Tauranga Eastern Link toll road and the Waikato Expressway will see a speed limit increase of 10km/h, in a controversial move which was both welcomed and slammed as “playing with lives” when announced in November last year.

The Tauranga Eastern Link toll road limit will increase to 110km/h between the Paengaroa roundabout and Domain Rd interchange — a 15km stretch of road.

The speed limit on a 16km long section of the Waikato Expressway will also rise to 110km/h between the Cambridge Southern and Tamahere interchanges.

The two sections of road were selected first in the country because they have some of the best safety features in the country, the New Zealand Transport Agency ( NZTA) said last month.

NZTA received almost 11,500 submissions from the public and stakeholders with 73 per cent in favour of increasing the speed limit.

Bay of Plenty inspector Brent Crowe is encouraging drivers to respect the conditions.

“We are focused on encouraging people to drive responsibly and to the conditions,” he said. “Our officers will still have discretion in how they deal with incidents and how they are enforced.

“Over the holiday period — from 6am, December 18 to 6am, January 8 — if you’re detected by a safe speed camera exceeding the area’s posted speed limit by more than 4km, it is likely you will receive a fine.”

In November last year, Labour’s then police spokesman Stuart Nash — now Police Minister — voiced concerns about raising the speed limit.

“I just think we are playing with fire, and we are playing with the lives of Kiwis.”

Asked yesterday if he had changed his position, Nash said: “I support the increase in the speed limit in these two cases, where the roads have been assessed to be safe enough and significant consultation has occurred.

“However, drivers must continue to use their judgment and make safe decisions when behind the wheel.”