SH56 Longburn village and Longburn to Palmerston North speed review

24 July 2023

Whakaputahia ō whakaaro – Have your say

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is consulting on proposed safer speed limits through Longburn village and between Longburn and Palmerston North and we want to people to have their say.

The formal consultation period runs from 24 July to 21 August 2023.

Consulting on safer speeds

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is committed to helping people feel safe on our roads, and in our towns, whether they’re walking, cycling, driving, motorcycling or using public transport. Ensuring speed limits are safe and appropriate is key to achieving this.

Last year we asked people to share their views about speeds on State Highway 56 (SH56) between Palmerston North and Ōpiki.

Many told us they thought current speeds through Longburn village felt too high due to the number of houses and community venues in the area. People also felt the current 100km/h speed limit between Longburn and Palmerston North was too fast, considering the high volumes of traffic travelling the route. You can read the summary of our engagement here.

Since 2013 there have been 61 recorded crashes on SH56 from Ngaire Street South on the south side of Longburn to the Mangaone Stream Bridge at Pioneer Highway. Four people died and six were seriously injured in crashes on this stretch.

To help keep everyone safe and support future residential growth, we’re proposing new safer speed limits through Longburn village and between Longburn and Palmerston North, and we’re keen to hear what you think.

How to submit your feedback:

• Use our online form at: nzta.govt.nz/Longburn2PN
• Download the hardcopy form on the webpage and post it back to us for free.

What's being proposed

The current speed limit through Longburn is 70km/h and it’s 100km/h from northeast of Longburn to Palmerston North.

The proposed changes would see a new 50km/h speed limit in Longburn and 80km/h through to Palmerston North.

What happens next?

We’ll consider all feedback alongside existing information and the safety assessment before deciding to proceed on the proposed speed limit changes. There are small changes we can make, for example where the new speed limit will start and finish. Any out-of-scope feedback will be passed onto the appropriate people at Waka Kotahi.

We will inform the community and stakeholders of the decision and publish the details on our website before implementing any new speed limits on these sections of highway.

Please note, this consultation is seperate to the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan (ISMP) proposed changes to speed limits around schools, including a 30km/h variable speed limit outside Longburn School.

We are consulting on proposed new speed limits between Longburn and Palmerston North ahead of the development of the 2024-2027 State Highway Speed Management Plan as we’ve heard that the community and stakeholders are keen to see safer speed limits on these sections of SH56 as soon as possible.

Changes to speed limits on other sections of SH56 between Palmerston North and Ōpiki will be considered when we develop the full State Highway Speed Management Plan.

More information

For more information on the SH56 Longburn Village and Longburn to Palmerston North speed review, contact us at SH56@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/longburn2pn