14 Aug 2018

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The Christchurch City Council wants feedback on its proposal to extend the central city’s slow speed zone.

The proposed extension involves expanding the 30km/h zone one block south to include St Asaph Street, and westwards to include short sections of Hagley Avenue and Riccarton Avenue. 

A map showing the slow speed zone.

A map showing the proposed extension to the slow speed zone.

The Council is also proposing to reduce the speed limit on sections of Oxford Terrace and Antigua Street, adjacent to the new Christchurch Hospital Outpatients building, to 10 km/h following completion of the street works happening there at the moment.

These changes are intended to make a safer street environment for everyone – helping improve the safety of the main Hospital access points, and support the Christchurch Outpatients Facility, new South Frame developments, including the new Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School opening next year and the planned Metro Sports Facility.

The proposals involve adding the following sections of street to the central city’s existing slow speed 30 km/h zone:

  • St Asaph Street – from Madras Street to Hagley Avenue
  • Hagley Avenue – from Selwyn Street to Hospital Corner
  • Riccarton Avenue – moving the current 30 km/h zone entry point westwards to be just beyond the hospital’s proposed western emergency vehicle access to Riccarton Avenue 
  • Making Oxford Terrace (between Riccarton Avenue and Antigua Street) and Antigua Street (between Tuam Street and Oxford Terrace) both 10km/h adjacent to the new Hospital Outpatients building.

In November 2017, the Council determined staff should consult on a proposed reduction in the speed limit on St Asaph Street. This was part of a wider consideration of the street’s safety and design after construction works were undertaken there in late 2016 and early 2017.

Richard Osborne, the Council’s Head of Transport, says: “The proposed speed limit change would extend the southern boundary of the 30 km/h slow speed central city zone by one block southwards – providing a safer street environment along the southern boundary of the South Frame development, where Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School is under construction.

“Further west, the proposed slow speed zone would include the planned northern entrance to the future Metro Sports Facility development, just west of Antigua Street. The proposed western extension would also help slow traffic around the busy Hospital Corner streets, where we’re also proposing to extend the zone around 250 metres westwards on Riccarton Avenue, to include the Hospital’s proposed western emergency vehicle access.

“Alongside the new Hospital Outpatients building, we’re proposing that Oxford Terrace and Antigua Street should be 10km/h – similar to other sections of the new Te Papa Ōtākaro / Avon River Precinct,” Mr Osborne says.

Councillor Pauline Cotter, who chairs the Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee, says with several major developments currently underway in the southern central city, in the very near future there will be an increase in the number of people moving to-and-fro in these areas.

"The proposal to extend the current slow speed zone takes this into account, and I’m especially pleased to see it includes the environment around Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School and the new Hospital Outpatients building, both currently under construction.”

Consultation opens on today and closes on Tuesday 4 September.

To view the proposed plan and provide feedback, visit Have Your Say.