Nick Mills reacts to 30kph proposed to become default speed in Wellington

Today the Wellington City Council is voting on whether to reduce speeds on 80 per cent of our local roads to 30kph an hour. 

Why? I hear you ask. 

Well, it's part of their contribution to New Zealand's Road to Zero campaign. 

If the vote goes through the plan will go out to Wellingtonians for public consultation. 

You see the council is required to introduce safe speed limits of 30kph near 40 per cent of our schools by June next year. 

They're then required to introduce safer speed limits all of our schools by the end of 2027. 

At first glance that makes sense, but wait, it gets worse. 

Because Wellington City has a high density of schools, this would mean reducing speed limits on 80 per cent of our streets in and around Wellington.

So 80 per cent of our streets, going down to 30kph. 

A few main routes would remain at 40kph an hour, and even fewer at 50. 

Overall, up to 93 per cent of our streets could face some kind of speed reductions. 

The move is the council's approach to the government's Road to Zero campaign which aims to reduce death by 40 per cent by 2030, and eliminate deaths on our roads by 2050. 

You all know how I feel about the Road to Zero campaign, it's simply not possible  

Whenever I read that our council is going to consult on something I shake my head. Has anything really ever changed because of public consultation? 

Counsellor Iona Pannett is behind lowering the speed limits in Wellington City. Remember though, she's never or owned or even driven a car. 

Iona was quoted as saying sometimes slow transport movement is a better way of enjoying life. 

Hang on a second, she's meant to be the chairperson of the Wellington City Council's Planning and Environment Committee.

Do we have any hope of fair and open discussion? 

Think about our traffic conditions now, then imagine what it's going to be like when we reduce the speed to 30kph. 

We all want it to be safe around schools, preschools and kindergartens. But 80% of roads in our city? 

Come on. 

My experience of Wellington City Council is they get everything they want. And it sounds to me like they want this. 

So, it's coming to a street by you. 

This is no different to the cycleways. One car at a time, gone. That’s what they want. 

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