Kāpiti Coast District Council welcomes legislation

Kāpiti Coast District Council is pleased that legislation to fix an anomaly in rules around setting speed limits was today introduced to Parliament.

The legislation is a result of concerns the council raised with NZ Police around the validity of its own bylaw and the safety and enforcement implications this potentially had across local government.

Chief executive Pat Dougherty says council misinterpreted how often its Speed Limits Bylaw, passed in 2005, needed to be updated.

“This is a technical and complex area of the law and we understand our concern that many other councils might be in the same position is valid.

“We’re not happy that we made a mistake - but we’re pleased the situation has been clarified for all of local government.”

Mr Dougherty says the council became aware that its belief that its Speed Limit Bylaw had a 10 year life was incorrect. The bylaw in fact had a five year life, with a two year period for renewal – meaning it was void in 2012.

“We didn’t appreciate the full implications of the bylaw expiring, initially believing we would simply be unable to set new speed limits until a new bylaw was adopted. On this basis we prioritised other work ahead of updating the bylaw.”

Mr Dougherty said once the council became aware that the expiry of the bylaw potentially made our district’s local road speed limits void, it raised the issue with central government because of the likely national implications.

The council is close to completing consultation with the public on an updated bylaw.