Bevan Woodward

"Reducing Speed in New Zealand: Opportunuties and Obstacles"

Reduced traffic speeds have been implemented on an area-wide basis in northern Europe to significantly enhance the safety for all road users, in particular for pedestrians and cyclists. This initiative helped reverse a long-term decline in cycling, enhance the walking and liveability of streets, and improve the road fatality rates to the lowest among OECD nations.

In Munich 70% of streets now have a 30 km/hr speed limit. In the Netherlands, the Sustainable Safety programme has included the implementation of 30 km/hr streets, often with very little engineering treatment.

Reduced speed environments have not been widely implemented in New Zealand. This abstract will present on the opportunities and obstacles for reducing traffic speeds in New Zealand

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