Christchurch to Akaroa - one of New Zealand's highest risk roads

Safer speeds start Friday 2 September

Kia ora

You have probably noticed preparation work underway on the highway.

We can confirm the new safer speed limits will apply from Friday, 2 September 2022 on State Highways 73/75 from Christchurch to Akaroa, on some local side roads and on SH74 Norwich Quay/Gladstone Quay in Lyttelton.

The changes include more consistent speeds through Halswell, 60km/h over the Hilltop and 50km/h through Little River to just past Wairewa Marae.

High-risk 100km/h sections will reduce to 80km/h.

To help remind drivers, the date the new speeds apply will be advertised in local media. There will also be temporary electronic signs on the roadside for a couple of weeks and local police will be in the area closer to the time.

When speeds are safe for the road, simple mistakes are less likely to end in tragedy.

Map showing new speeds

Click here to view the full list of state highway speed limit changes 
Click here for local road speed limits
Click here for a larger map

Apology to some submitters

We're aware some people did not receive an acknowledgement from us when they emailed us their feedback. If this happened to you, we apologise for this oversight. Please feel assured that every piece of feedback we received was read, considered and included as part of our assessment. The link below provides a summary of consultation feedback and Waka Kotahi responses.

Gathering feedback - Tai Tapu community pop-up event July 2021

Why changes were made

The new speed limits are a result of a thorough technical assessment of the road which considers factors like crash history, road environment, average speeds as well as feedback received from the public and stakeholders.

It's worth noting, public consultation on speed limits is not a vote or whether people are 'for or against' change. It is about considering community input on safety and speed and understanding how people use the road, before making an evidence-based decision.

We received 670 pieces of feedback during consultation. Your feedback provided us with valuable insights.

People also told us about changes they'd like to see in addition to speed changes.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

Click here to see what we are doing on SH 73/75 to support the new safer speeds.

Click here to view the consultation summary and submissions.