The Hawke's Bay community wants the Napier-Taupo road improved - not slowed down

The speed limit for much of State Highway Five will drop to 80 from tomorrow.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says an Official Information Act response on Waka Kotahi's processes leading to the speed limit decision, shows critical work wasn't done.

She says there's been no social or economic impact analysis carried out on the highway.

But Waka Kotahi's Linda Stewart says their Road to Zero action plan considers the social and economic costs of people being killed or seriously injured, as well as network reliability.

She says assessments include a structured evidence-based approach to consider the safe and appropriate speed.