Motorists have been given the green light to speed up on the immediate approach to Whakatāne but, for now, it will remain a slow drive to Rotorua.

Reversals of speed limit reductions have begun with the short section of State Highway 30 between the Whakatāne Bridge and the Phoenix Drive roundabout reverting to 80kmh by July 1. It is currently 60kmh.

The National and Act coalition agreement committed to reversing the reductions implemented under the previous Labour government.

In total, 38 sections of the state highway network will be reverted to their previous higher speed limits by NZTA over the next five months.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and newly-appointed Transport Minister Chris Bishop made the announcement on Wednesday.

"To ensure this process happens efficiently, over the next few months NZTA will incorporate the automatic speed reversal work alongside planned maintenance and project works," Mr Bishop said in a statement.

A further 49 sections of state highway, including sections between Whakatane and Rotorua, are out for public consultation so communities can have their say on keeping their current lower speed limit or returning to the previous higher speed.

Public consultation opened yesterday and will run for six weeks.

Locally, the stretches of road between Whakatāne and Rotorua that are up for consultation are:

· SH30 Awakeri to Whakatane

· SH30 Te Teko to Awakeri

· SH30 Lake Rotomāto to Te Teko

· SH30 between Lake Rotoehu and Lake Rotomā

· SH30 Te Ngae Junction to Lake Rotoiti.

The current speed limit on all sections 80kmh but was previously 100kmh.

East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick has welcomed the changes.

“Getting people and freight from A to B as quickly and efficiently as possible supports economic growth. This announcement is part of the National Government’s plan to grow the economy, because when our economy grows, New Zealanders have more opportunities to get ahead.

“National campaigned on ending Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions that were forced upon communities despite fierce opposition. Constituents in East Coast have been telling me for years about their frustrations with these reductions, and this change represents a win for them.

She urges people to have their say on the roads up for consultation.

“Now is the time to record your views on the current speed limits and whether you want them increased or stay the same,” she said.

“Consultation runs until the March 13 and your say will inform NZTA’s decision.”
Councils have until May 1 to advise NZTA of local road changes, which will require reduced variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times.

Mr Bishop said by July 1, 2026, local streets outside a school would be required to have a 30kmh variable speed limit. Rural roads outside schools would be required to have variable speed limits of 60kmh or less.

"National campaigned on reversing the blanket speed limit reductions at the last election, and over 65 percent of submitters during consultation on the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024, agreed."

He said transport rules were "complicated and technical", which was why it had taken five months to get the speed limit reductions reversed.

With regard to the 49 stretches of road up for consultation, Mr Bishop said, "there will be differing views in the communities" and time would be taken to hear all that feedback.