Road safety  |  8 Sep 2021

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Roads in Akaroa, Lyttelton and other parts of Banks Peninsula will have speed limits lowered.

Christchurch City Council adopted the changes after widespread review and consultation.

The changes will see a 40km/h speed limit on all streets in Lyttelton, except Norwich Quay/ Gladstone Quay which is part of State Highway 74 and the responsibility of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

Roads in Akaroa town centre will also be set at 40km/h, while many winding narrow rural roads will have significantly lower speeds – down from 100km/h to 60km/h.

The other changes are:

  • Purau-Port Levy Road reduced from 100km/h to 60km/h and 40km/h in the Port Levy settlement.
  • Port Levy-Pigeon Bay Road reduced from 100km/h to 60km/h with speeds of 60km/h or 40km/h within Pigeon Bay.
  • Kukupa, near Pigeon Bay, will have a speed reduction from 100km/h to 40km/h.
  • Birdlings Flat, Kaitorete Spit, Little River and Okuti Valley will have speed limits of either 60km/h or 40km/h depending on the specific road.
  • The Western Valley route, Puaha Valley and Southern Bays roads will reduce from 100km/h to 60km/h.
  • In Charteris Bay a 600m section of Marine Drive lowered from 60km/h to 50km/h.
  • In Diamond Harbour a section of Waipapa Avenue will be lowered to 30km/h.

Deputy Mayor and Banks Peninsula Councillor Andrew Turner says there was broad community support for the move.

“Lowered speeds will improve accessibility and amenity for road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, as well as road safety outcomes. 

“Banks Peninsula has a varied network of steep and winding roads which can be challenging for drivers. By lowering speeds we can make these areas safer for everyone, especially in the summer months when we see more visitors and holidaymakers.”

 Council Acting Head of Transport Lynette Ellis says cutting speeds will improve safety.

“We know these changes will improve road safety outcomes because the speed a vehicle travels at plays a key role in determining the risk and severity of a crash.

“They will also better align the posted speed limit with the actual operating speeds on the affected roads and help improve the consistency of speed limits across the network.”

The changes are expected to be in place later this year, with the exception of Lyttelton where implementation will be early next year. 

Speed limits along State Highway 75 between Christchurch and Akaroa and State Highway 74 along Norwich Quay/Gladstone Quay are currently under review by Waka Kotahi.