Safer Speeds Around Schools

To keep young New Zealanders safe as they arrive at or leave school, the Government has introduced a new national rule requiring all councils to implement variable speed limits outside school gates.

By 1 July 2026, local streets outside schools in urban areas will be required to have a 30km/h variable speed limit up to 150 metres from school entrances. Rural roads that are outside schools with higher surrounding speed limits will be required to have variable speed limits of 60km/h or less up to 300m from school entrances. These speed limits are required no more than 45 minutes either side of the school bell at the start and end of each school day.

Why the change?

This is to improve safety for children and families by reducing vehicle speeds when schools are busiest - Ministry of Transport reports the rate of deaths and serious injuries for school-aged children on roads around schools during pick up and drop off times is 2.7 times higher than at other times. Lower speeds reduce this risk but also encourage walking, cycling, and scootering to school.

What does this mean for Tararua?

  • We must introduce variable speed limits by 1 July 2026 to comply with the new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024.
  • For urban schools, this will result in variable speed limits of 30km/hr up to 45 minutes before and after the school bell, reverting to 50km/hr at all other times.
  • For rural schools where the existing speed limit is 100km/hr and where there is limited pedestrian and cycling activity, this will result in variable speed limits of 50km/hr before and after the school bell, reverting to 100km/hr at all other times.
  • For rural schools where the existing speed limit is 70km/hr, this will result in variable speed limits of 30km/hr before and after the school bell, reverting to 70km/hr at all other times.
  • All variable speed limits will operate during school travel times, identified as being 8:30 – 9:10 am and 2:50 – 3:30 pm.
  • Signs will be installed during the summer school holidays in early 2026 to avoid disruption and achieve district-wide consistency as schools return after the summer holidays.

Consultation update

  • We consulted with the community in 2023 under the previous Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, which informed our draft Speed Management Plan at that time.
  • We have completed targeted engagement with schools and local police around the 2024 changes, but because of the earlier consultation Council undertook, NZ Transport Agency has confirmed no new public consultation is required for the variable speed limits under the new 2024 Rule, due to them being a mandatory requirement.

What's next?

  • Sign installation is planned for December 2025 / January 2026 during the summer school holidays.
  • We will continue working closely with local schools and NZ Transport Agency to ensure smooth implementation.

Background

The new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 came into effect on 30 October 2024. For more information on the Rule, check out Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

NZTA have advised Council to undertake the "Alternative Method Proposal" method for implementing peed zone rules to schools in the Tararua District. Read the full proposal here.

Timeline

  • 2023 – In response to the previous government’s Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, Council developed an Interim Speed Management Plan and undertook public consultation, with the goal to implement these changes in 2024.
  • March 2024 – the current Government indicated it would be releasing a new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits by the end of 2024. Council held off on implementing its Interim Speed Management Plan given the potential changes due to the new Rule.
  • September 2024 – The Government released the new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024, effective from 30 October 2024 which revoked and replaced the previous Rule and introduced mandatory requirements for Councils to implement variable speed limits around schools by 1 July 2026.
  • Early 2025 – Council drafted a new Alternative Method Proposal to meet the requirements of the new Rule, focusing on mandatory requirements as ‘Phase 1’, as well as proposing alternative changes at Ruahine School and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Tamaki Nui A Rua to accommodate new variable speed zone signs, and avoid confusion or conflicting information provided by existing permanent signs.
  • May 2025 – NZTA approved funding for new speed limit signs and minor safety improvements.
  • August 2025 – Public consultation to be undertaken for two minor permanent speed limit changes.
  • October 2025 – Final Alternative Method Proposal to be submitted back to NZTA for approval, factoring in public feedback for two minor permanent speed limit changes.
  • December / January 2026 – Roll out of new variable school speed limits – signs to be installed over summer school holidays.
  • Later in 2026 – Planning and public engagement to be undertaken for ‘Phase 2’ of implementing the new Rule, with options investigated for reducing speed limits on ‘peri-urban’ roads.

School Speed Zone Maps

Variable speed limit zones

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We’re introducing variable speed limits outside schools to improve safety during school travel times in line with the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024. These changes help protect tamariki, whānau, and other road users by reducing vehicle speeds during drop-off and pick-up times.

Variable speed limits will apply outside school gates. For most schools, this means a 30 km/h limit during drop-off (8:30–9:10am) and pick-up (2:50–3:30pm) times, up to 150m each side of the school gate. Some rural schools will have a 50 km/h limit due to their location and road environment, and these will be in place up to 300m each side of the school gate, to factor in the higher surrounding speed limit.

Installation of signs will begin over the 2025/26 summer school holidays. All variable speed limits must be in place by 1 July 2026 to meet to national rules.

All 20 schools across the district will be included.

  • Category 1 (urban/low speed areas): 30 km/h limits for 16 schools
  • Category 2 (rural/high speed areas): 50 km/h limits for 4 schools

  • Improved safety – slower speeds reduce the risk and severity of crashes
  • Encouraging active travel – safer roads support walking, biking, and scootering to school
  • Reflecting community feedback – there is strong local support for safer school streets

Yes – we consulted with the community under the 2022 Rule about lowering speeds around schools. The key difference between what we consulted on then and what we are required to do now is the mandatory introduction of variable speed zone times, instead of permanent speed limit reductions.

NZTA is providing a funding contribution for costs to implement the variable speed limit changes outside schools at our agreed funding assistance rate of 73%, with the remaining 27% being ratepayer funded (up to $85,000).

Any future speed limit changes that don’t relate to roads outside schools will likely be 100% at the cost of Tararua ratepayers.

We are focusing on meeting the mandatory requirements under the Rule and implementing safe speed limits around schools.

In the future, Council may also review and publicly consult on whether any further speed limit changes are needed within Tararua. This will be done in line with the new specifications under the Rule which include prescribed permanent speed limits for different classes of roads.