I had a great response from Council to my presentation and they are planning to look into it further (including looking at other local examples to date, like Wgtn and Hamilton). At a national level, things are also sloooowwwwly getting better at allowing for lower speed limits, through the development of a draft Speed Management Guide (https://www.pikb.co.nz/additional-resources/) and planned changes to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule. So yes, it will happen, just a question of when.

There was an amusing article on TV ONE’s Seven Sharp a while back with a reporter moaning about the proposed new 30km/h limit in the Chch CBD. To illustrate the difference in time, she drove a route through town at both 50k and 30k… except that the 30k drive took less time! As I say above, it’s mostly other traffic and intersection that delay you, not the speed limit. See http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp/drive-slow-video-5666200

I have always wondered why speeds weren’t lower than 50kmph on suburban roads. I live down a cul-de-sac which is very narrow and am always shocked at the high speeds other residents choose to travel down it at (given how short and narrow it is).

Do you think there’s any chance some of these speed changes will ever eventuate?

The increased travel times argument is a red herring foisted upon the public by the technocrat traffic industry. Most neighbourhoods in NZ have been wrecked by the presupposition that traffic speeds (and travel times) equate economic activity. The best way to think about this is the trips that aren’t counted. What is missing from the equation are all the trips that are foregone or forced into cars to make the most mundane daily activities: kids getting to school, the trip to the dairy, the town centre down the street, etc. All of these trips don’t count.
Slowing speeds in neighbourhoods enable these trips. In addition to the safety and amenity value there is a legitimate economic rationale for allowing people to make short trips without the requirement of a car.
Instead of arguing that slower traffic speeds are insignificant (they are), I think it is better to disregard the overall premise that traffic speed on urban streets and neighbourhoods has ecomomic value.
Great post LennyBoy.

I know at peak times I cycle my 8km route in virtually identical time to car, or sometimes faster than car. At other times of day I’m a bit slower than car. Based on that & that my peak speed is about 35kph I’m guessing 30kph limit at peak times may make little to no difference? But saying that I can filter at lights whereas cars can’t so perhaps it’s an unfair conclusion & maybe big(ger) queues would form. Anyone got any data?