A proposal to permanently reduce the speed limit in Tauranga city centre is being met with a warning from the transport minister.

Simeon Brown says Tauranga City Council's proposed speed reductions could be a waste of ratepayers money as a new speed rule set to be introduced be the government could reverse them.

The council is currently consulting on a proposed blanket speed reduction to 30km/h in the city centre and a mix of variable and permanent speed limit reductions around schools and marae.

Brown says the government doesn't support these types of blanket speed limit reductions.

"The government's view is that speed limit reductions should be targeted to high crash areas. As outlined in March, the new speed rule will reverse blanket speed reductions unless it is unsafe to do so."

Brown says under the new setting of speed limits rule, the government will also require road controlling authorities like councils to undertake cost benefit analysis.

Proposed permanent speed reductions in Tauranga. Photo: Supplied / Tauranga City Council.

Tauranga City Council manager of network safety and sustainability Anna Somerville, says detailed economic analysis has not been undertaken on the proposed speed reduction to 30km/h in the city centre.

However, she doesn't think this will affect the council's proposal.

"We have taken the policy direction into consideration and believe the proposed changes would not need to be changed under the new rule," she says.

The Tauranga city centre has had a temporary 30km/h speed limit in place since October 2018.

Somerville says this is due to the significant number of projects underway in the city and a desire to keep it simple for people driving, and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

"Our speed management plan proposes to make this 30km/h speed limit permanent."

Priority One is the economic development agency for the Western Bay of Plenty and chief executive Nigel Tutt says he drives through the city centre everyday.

He thinks the council's proposed speed reductions are sensible and says businesses are much more interested in parking and city access.

"From a pragmatic point of view it's pretty difficult to get down any of those roads at more then thirty anyway, so I would have thought that was about right," Tutt says

Simeon Brown says if the council moves ahead with the changes now, it could result in a waste of ratepayers money.

"I encourage Tauranga City Council to consider the policy direction for the new rule that I expect to be in place before the end of the year.

"This will prevent ratepayer money being spent on speed limit changes now that may need to be changed under the new rule."

-RNZ.