The National Party says the Government has spent more than $53 million dollars over the last five years on speed limit reductions in Auckland.

National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown said figures obtained by National from Auckland Transport shows more limits are being proposed across the city and will continue across New Zealand.

He said National opposes blanket speed limit reductions on State Highways and local roads.

“Despite Prime Minister Chris Hipkins saying that more speed limit reductions were off the table last month, more are being proposed across the city and will continue across New Zealand unless Labour revisits its policy,” said Brown.

“Auckland Transport is about to propose slowing down speeds on thousands more streets across Auckland, which flies in the face of the Prime Minister’s statements.

“Transport Minister Michael Wood and the Prime Minister clearly want to wash their hands of blanket speed limit reductions on local roads, but Labour signed off on a land transport rule for setting speed limits.

“Until this is changed, speed limits will continue to be reduced on roads across the country, at the expense of ratepayers and taxpayers.”

According to Brown, a National government will replace the current government’s The Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speeding Limits 2022, implement variable speed limits during peak hours around schools, increase consultation requirements for speed limit changes, and review areas of the State Highway Network that have been reduced to 80km/h, such as the Napier-Taupō road.

“Kiwis are sick and tired of Labour’s focus on reducing speeds rather than fixing potholes and the other major damage to our roads,” said Brown.

“National opposes blanket speed limit reductions and we will stop Labour’s expensive blanket speed limit reductions on State Highways and local roads.”