IR-01-23-32284
9 November 2023
Cody C
[FYI request #24387 email]
Dear Cody
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 10 October 2023. You
asked for information regarding speed limit signage within Christchurch.
My response to each part of your request can be found below.
1. Are Police aware that a number of streets in Christchurch RCA, until recently,
had posted speed limit signage which was never formally ratified by Christchurch
City Council so never had legal effect?
Police is primarily responsible for enforcement and safety matters. Police becomes
directly involved in speed related issues when disputes or specific incidents occur that
require intervention. Road Control ing Authorities (RCA) are responsible for setting and
maintaining speed limits on roadways. Police is not directly involved in this process and is
reliant on Waka Kotahi to inform it of any changes to speed limits. Police is currently
unaware of changes within Christchurch.
Under Section 12 of the Land Transport (Register of Land Transport Records—Speed
Limits) Regulations 2022, the Registrar (Waka Kotahi) must notify the Commissioner of
Police when a land transport record is created – this includes the setting of speed limits.
Without further information, such as the names of the streets and the dates for when they
might not have been compliant, I am unable to answer this part of your request. As the
request is not made with due particularity, it does not meet the requirements of section
12(2) of the OIA and, therefore, cannot be answered as an OIA request.
2.
What is Police's strategy for refunding infringements issued in error on these
streets (if any)?
Police is not able to answer this part of the request as we do not have sufficient evidence
to establish whether any streets were not compliant and what further steps would be
required to remedy any such situation. Police and other relevant agencies would need to
undertake a process to establish whether such a situation exists and what further steps
would be required. It is also worth noting that providing a refund is only one of the options
open to Police, should it be conclusively established that such a situation as you describe
exists.
Please note that as part of its commitment to openness and transparency, Police
proactively releases some information and documents that may be of interest to the
public. An anonymised version of this response may be publicly released on the New
Zealand Police website.
Yours sincerely
Inspector Dan Mattison
Acting Director: Road Policing
New Zealand Police
