Road safety  |  14 Oct 2021

Motorists are urged to take it slower as new safer speed limits are coming into effect on many of Banks Peninsula’s steep and winding rural roads and settlements.

“Banks Peninsula has a complex network of winding roads and steep inclines which can be challenging,’’ says Christchurch City Council Transport Operations Manager Steffan Thomas.

“Following consultation with the public earlier this year, we are dropping the speed limit on these roads from 100km/h to 60km/h to make it safer for everyone,’’ Mr Thomas says.

The new speed limits come into effect on Thursday 21 October 2021.

Speed limits changes are also coming for Akaroa’s town centre. From Thursday 21 October, a 40km/h speed limit will be in place on the majority of roads within the township.

“Akaroa is attracting increasing numbers of daytrippers and holidaymakers so we want to keep vehicle speeds down for safety reasons,’’ Mr Thomas says.

Other speed limit changes coming into effect on 21 October include:

  • 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.

Next year, a 40km/h speed limit will be introduced 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.