Saddle Road speed limit consultation

Submissions for this consultation have now closed. 

From 14 to 18 January 2019 the Transport Agency consulted on the proposed permanent speed limits to Saddle Road/Oxford Road/Woodlands Road/SH3, which is one of the bypass routes for the closed SH3 Manawatū Gorge.

Emergency speed limits had been in place along the route since January 2018 following the sharp increase in vehicles using these roads after the closure of the gorge in April 2017.

Permanent safe and appropriate speed limits needed to be set before the emergency speed limits expired.

Our priority was to make this a safer route so that everyone using it can get where they are going safely and reliably.

Read more about the background of the consultation in the consultation summary [PDF, 1.7 MB]

Permanent speed limits

The following speed limits were proposed during consultation and were set as the new permanent speed limits from 25 January 2019:

  • 80km/h for SH3 from Woodville to Woodlands Road, Woodlands Road, Oxford Road and Saddle Road from Hope Road to Mangaatua Stream.
  • 60km/h for Saddle Road from Ashhurst to Mangaatua Stream.

Map showing speed limits.

Consultation and submissions

Public consultation closed at 4pm on Friday 18 January 2019. 217 submissions were received during the consultation period from stakeholder organisations and the public.

Read more about the consultation process and submissions in the consultation summary [PDF, 1.7 MB]

For more information on the gorge replacement route visit the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway project page.