The New Zealand Transport Agency has increased the speed limit for two key North Island expressways. From 11 th of December 2017, vehicles are now able to travel at 110km/h – the highest speed limit on any road in the country – on the SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and SH1 Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway.
Why increase the speed limit?
After receiving almost 11,500 submissions from the public and stakeholders during an extensive consultation process, NZTA decisively announced the new speed limit for the two aforementioned roads. The NZ Government increased the speed limit on these roads as a way to help make roads safer and to cut travel times for Kiwi drivers.
Before the speed limit increase was official, Associate Transport Minister Tim Macindoe talked to NZ Herald about the change and said: “With our initial seven Roads of National Significance – with enhanced safety features – either complete or under construction, we can begin rolling out faster speed limits in certain areas. This will allow New Zealanders to get to where they need to be faster.”
The aforementioned roads on Tauranga and Waikato were selected as the two very best and safest roads in New Zealand, with no fatalities to date.
These new Roads of National Significance are designed and engineered with the following safety features: wide shoulders, left and median barriers, and two lanes in each direction. These roads also have no significant curves and no direct access to neighbouring properties, reducing the chance of very serious crashes and making them the safest sections of road in the country.
This new 110 km/h speed limit is consistent with speed limits on roads with similar safety features in other countries around the world, including Australia, which means that New Zealand is also on its way to modernising and making its roads safer.
Speed Limit Safety Reminders
The new 110km/h speed limit, as with any speed limit, is not a target – it is the maximum speed for safe travel in ideal conditions. NZTA reminds drivers to adjust speeds depending on weather conditions and their current driving conditions. It’s also crucial to note that the speed limit for vehicles and vehicles towing will remain at 90 km/h on both roads, allowing other vehicles to overtake smoothly and safely within the speed limit.
Argus GPS Tracking Database Update
It is part of the Argus Tracking commitment to continually update our software and ensure we’re giving businesses and fleet managers the best benefits, so we’ve updated our GPS tracking database to include these two roads and their new speed limits. This update will allow fleet managers to optimise routes and monitor jobs more efficiently with our fleet tracking software.
Kiwi drivers as well as businesses are able to enjoy the many significant advantages of the increased speed limit on these two roads, including:
increased productivity,
cost-effective fuel consumption,
time savings, and
fewer fines.
Argus Tracking offers the best management software solution to ensure you’re getting the best results when it comes to easy, cost-effective, and professional fleet management. Contact us today, or simply freephone 0800 872 548 to ask us how we can provide solutions for your specific business needs!
