Simeon Brown, the Minister for Transport, appears unperturbed by criticism levelled at his move to remove blanket speed reductions across the country, claiming his Government is setting "a clear direction" and that councils can choose what they do "in the meantime".

Brown is removing the former Government’s mandate that councils, as local road controlling authorities (RCAs), have to bring in speed management plans – and as a consequence slower speeds – and get these to the Government by next month.

He told The Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning that he said he ultimately wants roads that were reduced to 30km/h limits to return to 50km/h in a bid to get the country moving more quickly.

The wiping of blanket reductions rubbed Far North Mayor Moko Tepania the wrong way as he publicly hit out at the Transport Minister's act last month. The Far North District Council (FNDC) is currently going ahead with spending up to $800,000 on the Kerikeri and Bay of Islands slower-speed plans.

“With all due respect to the Minister of Transport, also our Minister of Local Government, he is causing korero across the country in council chambers as we all await his high majesty’s rules so that we can have better direction on what the heck we need to do,” said Tepania.

Mike Hosking asked the Transport Minister about his thoughts on the criticism levelled at the plan, Brown admitted there was no requirement for councils to follow what the Government was putting in place when it came to speed limits.

He said some councils are still changing speed limits under the current rule, so what his Government was aiming to set was a clear direction on its approach to road safety.

"Ultimately, [the councils] are accountable to their local communities, what we're doing as a Government is saying this is the direction, we're elected on a mandate to deliver this - changing the rule," said Brown.

"We're requiring them to make those changes and reverse those changes in the very near future. So look, it's ultimately up to them what they do in the meantime - but we are setting a clear direction of where we're going on reversing the rules."

Brown said the blanket speed reductions was a policy put in place by the former Government that didn't make any sense, he claimed it essentially slowed people down rather than taking "a more pragmatic approach" to speed safety.

The Government's intention, according to Brown, was to have a variable approach to setting speed limits – such as around schools during pick-up and drop-off times, which become busier pedestrian spots and have a higher risk of collision.

Brown said that, in his local electorate of Pakuranga, the biggest frustration he heard from his constituents was the slow speed limits in the area.

"Let's not make everyone crawl around our towns and cities for no real benefit, we need to get the balance right," he said.

"And, actually, if you look at what the biggest killer on our roads are [it's] drug-drivers and drunk-drivers. And the last Government failed to introduce legislation, which is implementable, on drunk-driving - we haven't been doing enough tests on drunk-driving – those are the areas we need to focus on."

Vocal Far North slower-speed campaigner and Kapiro Rd resident Niall Mayson, when informed of it by Local Democracy Reporting Northland, welcomed his council’s move.

He said it was pleasing to see the local in local government decision-making, rather than the council deferring to central government.

“I am now looking forward to the slower speed being rolled out as soon as possible,” Mayson said.

Mayson said many communities in the Far North were involved, including more than 2000 people affected by the soon-to-be lowered (from 100km/h to 70km/h) Kapiro Rd limits.