‘Just reduce the speed’ of narrow road
‘‘IT’S just a matter of time before someone is injured or killed.’’ That is the fear of a Shag Point resident worried the 50kmh speed limit along the settlement’s narrow road is dangerous. Resident David Saunders raised the safety issue with the Waihemo Community Board at its latest meeting.
The recent installation by the Waitaki District Council of a new 50kmh sign had rekindled concern ‘‘that the speed is too fast’’, he said.
Residents felt their previous submissions on the matter had not been ‘‘addressed adequately’’ and the 50kmh speed limit on the narrow road was inappropriate. There was little room ‘‘to get out of the way’’ and a more tailored speed response was needed, he said.
‘‘Can’t council see how narrow that road is?
‘‘There’s just no room to move and it’s just a matter of time before someone is injured or killed.
‘‘We don’t want speed humps —
just reduce the speed.’’ Mr Saunders told board members if they visited on a typical weekend in summer ‘‘you would be disgusted to see what goes on there’’.
Pedestrian and vehicle traffic mingled on the narrow carriage way, exacerbating the risk to life. ‘‘Recently the postal van got
stuck in the ditch after moving over to the left for a passing vehicle which was travelling too fast.’’
He asked the council to formally survey speed on the road and review the limit again.
Board deputy chairman Kerry Stevens said the potential for the council to address the speed
issue was being changed with less freedom ‘‘to do what the residents want’’.
Mr Stevens’ comment mirrored that of council roading staff who, in a written response to the Waihemo board, cited the government’s plan to reverse the Setting of Speed Limits 2022 rule. ‘‘The replacement rule has not yet been determined. The powers that councils had in the 2022 rule, to reduce speed limits on local roads [with consultation] has been removed.’’ Council infrastructure manager Joshua Rendell said the council last revised the limit in 2020, when the 50kmh area was extended past the cattle stop and into the Department of Conservation reserve.
Its last traffic and speed survey was in March 2022 at two locations along the road, he said this week.
The survey showed the mean speed at a point 242m from State Highway 1 was 42.2kmh and 36.9kmh at the second survey, just over 2km from the main road.
‘‘Neither of these surveys raised a concern of excessive traffic speeds along the road, and therefore the existing 50kmh limit is appropriate.’’
Mr Rendell said residents wanting a speed reduction could make submissions ‘‘or petition council to demonstrate the support’’ for potential changes.