Speed limits outside Tauranga schools will drop to 30km/h during drop off and pick up times from next year to make it safer for students.

The Government brought in a new speed limit rule in September which will see all local streets outside a school required to have a 30km/h variable speed limit by 1 July 2026.

Prior to the introduction of the new rule, Council decided in June to reduce speed limits outside school gates to 40km/h following a review of the safety risks outside schools and strong community support for lower speed limits.

Council has approved the new 30km/h variable speed limit outside the 35 schools previously approved for 40km/h zones and its implementation outside eight new schools. Council also extended the 30km/h variable speed zones to Queen Road in Ōtūmoetai, and Golf Road to Ranch Road and Links Avenue in Mount Maunganui.

Mayor Mahe Drysdale said evidence shows that a lot of crashes involving young people inTauranga happen before and after school. 

“We know that children aged five to 14 years old generally find it difficult to judge the speedand gaps in traffic and may take more risks. Reducing speed limits before and after school tohelp keep them safe makes complete sense, while allowing normal speeds at lower risk times.”

More than 1000 people took a survey earlier this year with more than 71 per cent in favour of reduced speed limits outside schools. More than 52 per cent were in favour of making the temporary 30km/h limit in the city centre permanent.

Over the past few months Council has been upgrading signs outside schools to support the rollout of the new variable speed zones. The new signs will stay covered until the new speed limit goes live, expected to be in early 2025.

Other recommendations approved include relocating the urban/rural boundary on Welcome Bay Road, moving the 50km/h and 80km/h speed limit change 230 metres east, and consultation with Truman Lane residents and businesses on implementing a permanent speed limit of 50km/hbetween Mangatawa Link Road and SH29. A temporary 50km/h limit has been in effect for several years to reduce risks associated with the high volume of traffic bypassing the Baylink overpass project.

Notes:

An assessment of safety around 43 Tauranga schools has been undertaken. Crash analysis data from the Ministry of Transport shows from 2019 to early 2024:

• There have been 85 crashes involving five to 19-year-olds. Of these 73 (86%) involved injury.
• 74 (87%) of these crashes occurred before and after school. These occurred on weekdays between 7am and 9am and in the afternoon from 2pm to 6pm.
• There were 63 crashes (74%) involving children aged five to 14 years old.
• The social cost of these crashes is estimated at $57 million.

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