7 Dec 2018

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A Hearings Panel will recommend that Christchurch City Council introduce a 30 km/h speed limit on St Asaph Street and on sections of Hagley Avenue.

The recommendation also includes introducing a 10 km/h speed limit on Oxford Terrace and Antigua Street alongside the new Outpatients building.

A 30km/h sign.

A hearings panel is recommending a 30km/h speed limit for St Asaph St.

The Panel did not support a speed limit change on Riccarton Avenue at Hospital Corner and the associated speed limit threshold.

“After considering submissions from the public and hearing from the authors of an independent safety and functionality review of St Asaph Street, the Council’s Hearings Panel believes a lower speed limit in the southern central city would better support road safety than the existing 50 km/h speed limit,” says Chair of the Hearings Panel Councillor Mike Davidson. 

“The Panel took account of the expected increase in people walking and cycling on these streets, especially following the opening of the new Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School in early 2019. 

"St Asaph Street has already become an important central city destination and with further developments in the South Frame and the planned opening of the Metro Sports Facility in the next few years there will be even more people and activity in this increasingly popular area. Therefore, a slower speed will mean a safer and more attractive street environment for everyone,'' Cr Davidson says.

The Panel heard that a large number of submitters did also not support a lower speed limit of 10 km/h on Oxford Terrace and Antigua Street, alongside the new Hospital Outpatients building. Many submitters considered a lower speed limit unnecessary, difficult to enforce and that it would deter people from coming into the central city.

Following consideration of these concerns, the Panel concluded a 10 km/h speed limit on Oxford Terrace and Antigua Street, alongside the new Outpatients building, would be more consistent with the speed limits that apply to the remainder of Oxford Terrace and the other low-speed, shared-zone streets across the central city.

“The Panel is aware these two streets are expected to become very busy with hospital and outpatients visitors once the current street works are completed in the coming weeks. We’re also mindful that these street works are designed to achieve a low speed environment – and we want to be consistent with this objective,” says Cr Davidson.

The Panel will recommend that a more consistent approach is taken to the design of speed limit threshold gateways to ensure that cycle lanes are better separated from traffic lanes at these points.  Staff were also asked to look again at the location of a number of the proposed speed limit thresholds, including Stewart Street, in order to move it southwards closer to Balfour Terrace.

The speed review proposal, which was consulted on in August/September 2018, attracted more than 700 public submissions, with most – around two thirds – opposing setting lower speed limits.  The Hearings Panel thanked and acknowledged everyone who took the time to submit on the proposal.

The Hearings Panel, made up of elected members, heard in person from 15 submitters. The Hearing Panel’s recommendation will go to the Council in late January 2019 for its decision.

View the consultation summary, submissions and technical advice.