The speed limit in Porirua’s Raiha St will be lowered from 70 km/h to 50 km/h.

The street, in the city’s light-industrial area, is a busy road near Spicer Landfill, Kenepuru Hospital, new residential housing at Kenpuru Landing, and popular walking and mountainbiking tracks on Te Rahui o Rangituhi.

Now that Transmission Gully has opened, Raiha St is also used as an alternative access route to Titahi Bay and Porirua CBD, rather than Kenepuru Dr.

Porirua City councillors and Mayor Anita Baker voted to change the speed limit at Thursday’s Te Puna Kōrero meeting, after a report from Council officers. The report noted that only 30 per cent of vehicles travel between 60 km/h and 70 km/h now anyway, and lowering the limit would add no more than 10 seconds to a journey.

Mayor Baker says reducing it to 50 km/h made sense.

"This is an area with plenty of pedestrians and bikers, and it’s going to get even busier in the future, with more houses being built and traffic volumes increasing.

"It lowers the risk of someone getting hurt and it aligns with the Council’s road safety strategy. This is a safe and appropriate decision."

Police and 13 public submitters were in favour of the proposal to bring down the speed limit, which was released for consultation in March. Nine submitters were opposed, while one person supported extending the 50 km/h south past Farm Rd.

The Council’s transport team are also looking at additional road improvements in the area, including better pavement markings, pedestrian crossings and more signage.

The decision at Te Puna Kōrero will need to be ratified by a meeting of full Council on 30 June.

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