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Land Transport Act 1998

Land transport secondary legislation

157: Rules concerning roads

You could also call this:

"Rules to Keep You Safe on the Road"

Illustration for Land Transport Act 1998

You must follow rules when using roads. These rules can control traffic and close roads. They can also set speed limits. You will see rules about road design and maintenance. These rules can classify roads for different vehicles. They can also regulate traffic control devices. Road controlling authorities can set speed limits. They must follow certain criteria and procedures. The Agency or Director can change speed limits if they do not comply. You will see signs in construction zones. Some vehicles may be exempt from rules in these zones. Rules can also regulate reflective material on signs and structures. These rules are part of the Land Transport Act 1998, as outlined in section 152 and Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM435187.

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Part 11Land transport secondary legislation

157Rules concerning roads

  1. Without limiting the general power to make rules under section 152, ordinary rules may—

  2. regulate the use of roads, and empower road controlling authorities to control, restrict, and prohibit traffic, and to close roads in specified circumstances or on specified occasions, in accordance with the rules:
    1. set out standards, specifications, or codes of practice for the design, construction, alteration, or maintenance of roads and related property:
      1. provide for the classification of roads according to their suitability for use by different classes of motor vehicles:
        1. set, or provide for the setting of, speed limits (including maximum, minimum, variable, and temporary speed limits) for roads throughout New Zealand or in a particular locality, which speed limits may vary according to vehicle classes, types of roads, locality, and time of year:
          1. empower or require road controlling authorities to set speed limits referred to in paragraph (d) for roads within their jurisdiction, and—
            1. set out criteria, requirements, and procedures to be complied with by road controlling authorities when setting speed limits:
              1. authorise the Agency or the Director to change, or modify the application of, a speed limit that does not comply with the prescribed criteria, requirements, or procedures:
              2. provide that a road controlling authority may declare any of its roads or part of any such road to be a construction zone; prescribe the signs to be erected in a construction zone; and provide for the exemption from specified provisions of the rules of specified classes of motor vehicles while used within a construction zone:
                1. provide for the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of traffic control devices:
                  1. regulate or prohibit the use of reflective material on signs, hoardings, and similar structures that may pose a traffic hazard on any road.

                    1. Ordinary rules under this section are secondary legislation (see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements).

                    Notes
                    • Section 157(1)(e): amended, on , by section 113 of the Land Transport (NZTA) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 48).
                    • Section 157(1)(e)(ii): amended, on , by section 8 of the Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Act 2021 (2021 No 9).
                    • Section 157(1)(e)(ii): amended, on , by section 50(1) of the Land Transport Management Amendment Act 2008 (2008 No 47).
                    • Section 157(2): inserted, on , by section 3 of the Secondary Legislation Act 2021 (2021 No 7).