Wairarapa Labour MP Kieran McAnulty misled New Zealanders this morning when he said that he could not reverse NZTA’s speed limit reductions in Wairarapa, when NZTA was only following Labour’s instructions in reducing the speed limits in the first place, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“The Labour MP told New Zealanders that he was unable to get NZTA to review the speed limits on State Highway 2, which were reduced from 100kph to 80kph under Labour’s own blanket speed limit reductions, in his own electorate at the same time he was the Associate Minister of Transport.

“The reality is that these blanket speed limit reductions were only implemented after Labour’s Transport Minister Michael Wood signed the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, which is now seeing speed limits reduced on state highways to 80kph and speed limits reduced on urban roads to 30kph.

“National will scrap Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions, which will only increase journey times, reduce productivity, and make it harder for Kiwis to get around, and will instead focus on an approach that balances road safety and efficiency.

“Blanket speed limit reductions are part of Labour’s failed Road to Zero strategy, which has so far only managed to slow New Zealanders down and spend millions of dollars on advertising campaigns while New Zealand’s road death toll tragically continues to rise.

“National will end Labour’s speed limit reduction crusade. We will:

• End Labour’s attempt to reduce all suburban streets to 30kph and all State Highways to 80kph by repealing The Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022.
• Ensure that any speed limit reductions around schools are variable during drop-off and pick-up times.
• Increase consultation requirements for speed limit changes.

National’s Wairarapa candidate Mike Butterick says restoring the speed limit will be a priority if he’s elected as MP for Wairarapa.

“People in Wairarapa are sick of being slowed down and National will focus on delivering safer roads, not slower roads. I’m working incredibly hard to represent the area I love and I’ll keep pushing for sensible changes to get us where we need to be, faster,” says Mr Butterick

“The speed limit reductions are a huge issue for people here and add costs to businesses already drowning under more red tape and regulation.

“National opposes blanket speed limit reductions, and we will stop Labour's blanket speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads.”

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