Speeding towards a sign of the travel times
The Tackling Unsafe Speeds Programme gradually introduced reductions, lowering many single-carriage roads from 100kmh to 80kmh as part of the Road to Zero goal. However, the present government reversed lots of these.
For many, the slower speeds were long overdue — a practical measure to save lives. Reduced speeds decrease both the frequency and severity of crashes while also lowering emissions. Additional travel time lost would be minimal.
Critics argued blanket speed reductions unfairly penalised responsible drivers for the actions of a few, reflecting nanny-state overreach. They contended lower speeds unnecessarily restricted personal freedom and driving enjoyment, particularly in rural areas where traffic was sparse. Longer travel times would disproportionately affect freight companies and rural commuters, while safety gains remain minimal.
Support for reductions tends to be strongest among the educated, influential, and elite left and centre-left.
Thirty-eight sections of state highways are being reinstated to the 100kmh limit, though none of these are in Otago and Southland. The deadline for implementation is the end of this month.
Forty-nine other highway sections underwent public consultation in February and March, so "local communities could have their say".
Ultimately, only six sections will retain their lower speed limits owing to strong public support (more than 50% in favour), including from the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound. These changes are also set to take effect by the end of the month.
Just as with the overuse of cones, Civis remains in the middle of the road on this issue. It's easy to become over-zealous about speed limits. After all, it's sometimes said that if we were truly determined to eliminate safety hazards, all private driving would be banned.
Some highway segments, such as SH1 south of Oamaru, have had an 80kmh limit for years. Given the bends, undulations and proximity to houses and businesses near the road, this feels right.
Civis also supports 80kmh for crossing the Waitaki Bridge, a matter of controversy. Traversing the bridge by bike must be daunting, as highlighted in a recent ODT letter to the editor.
Waitaki Bridge residents argued the change in 2020 to 80kmh along the 2.6km strip from Glenavy to Waitaki Village should be retained.
During formal consultation, of the 1200 responses, 646 strongly opposed the lower limit, while 56 slightly opposed it. Meanwhile, 480 strongly supported the 80kmh limit, with another 28 slightly supporting it. A further 26 were neutral.
Tension often arises between the preferences of local residents and those from further afield. In the Waitaki consultation, of the 102 responses from the local community, 83 strongly supported the lower figure.
Speed limits will, as they should, continue to be debated in the news.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
In contrast, the phasing out of Limited Speed Zones (LSZ) in the early 2000s stirred little controversy.
They quietly disappeared from roadsides, becoming a matter of curiosity rather than debate.
Current regulations sensibly require speed signs to display specific numerical limits, rendering older open road signs – the white disc with a black diagonal stripe — also obsolete.
LSZ signs allowed too much leeway. Drivers were expected to slow down in adverse conditions but could legally travel up to 100kmh when conditions permitted.
A surviving LSZ sign was recently spotted in west Wanaka — the area beyond Glendhu Bay and across the Matukituki River.
You're unlikely to want to drive 100kmh on that dusty road.
civis@odt.co.nz
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Door closing on chance to post vote
PHOTO: ODT FILES Today is the last day to enrol on the Electoral Register to receive a postal vote in the upcoming local elections. Before the Oamaru Mail went to print this week, statistics on the Electoral Commission website shows 83.94% of eligible voters in Waitaki are enrolled, leaving 3181 people eligible to vote but not enrolled. The most enrolled age-group is the 70 and overs, with 4113 (94.97%) enrolled, just 218 eligible voters in the age group are not enrolled. At the other end of the scale, just 53.83% of 18 to 24-year-olds are enrolled, leaving 789 eligible voters off the electoral register. Of those enrolled in Waitaki, 16,112 are on the General Roll and 516 on the Maori Roll. Nationwide, 88.62% of eligible voters are enrolled for the upcoming Local Body Elections. People enrolling after today will not get voting papers in the post and will need to contact their local council and cast a special vote in-person. Waitaki District Council says it will be letting people know when and where they will be able to do that next week. Today is also the last day for nomination to stand for council, mayor, community boards and local licensing trusts. Before the Oamaru Mail went to print this week, there were three nominations for Waitaki mayor, (David Wilson, Mel Tavendale and Guy Percival). One nomination has been posted for the sole Ahuriri Ward seat (Brent Cowles) and the Waihemo Ward seat (Frans Schlack). Two nominations had been posted for the two available Corriedale Ward seats (John McCone and Sven Thelning). Seven nominations had been posted for the six Oamaru Ward seats (Andy De Boer, Peter De Rues, Jim Hopkins, Ferdie Kruger, Courtney Linwood, Richard Vinbrux and Nathan Barnes). Nominations had also been posted for the five available seats on the Oamaru Licensing Trust and the Ahuriri Community Board. However, before the Oamaru Mail went to print only four nominations had been posted for the five seats available on the Waihemo Community Board.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Flip-flop over standing for QLDC
Niki Gladding. PHOTO: ODT FILES Having decided to pull the pin on the Queenstown Lakes District Council to seek an Otago Regional Council seat, outspoken former Glenorchy councillor Niki Gladding left it until just three days out to reaffirm she is re-standing — for a seat on the district council. The now Wānaka-based district councillor only realised she would have to spend a lot of time in Dunedin, where the regional council is based, after chatting with outgoing Queenstown-based regional councillor Alexa Forbes. In May, Ms Gladding announced she would not seek re-election for the QLDC, citing feelings of burnout, a breakdown in her relationship with council staff and concerns about serving alongside current mayor Glyn Lewers if he is re-elected in October. Ironically, Ms Gladding would have likely secured re-election had she stood in the Queenstown-Wakatipu ward, where she is well known. However, in the Wānaka ward — where she has a lower profile — she faces tougher odds. She will need to unseat one of four incumbents, all of whom are standing again, along with one new challenger so far. Nominations close at noon today.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Mayor's vote seals decision to go with CCO
Queenstown mayor Glyn Lewers. PHOTO: ODT FILES A mayoral casting vote was needed to decide how Three Waters services will be delivered in the Queenstown Lakes district. After nearly three hours' debate at a full council meeting yesterday, Mayor Glyn Lewers used his vote to ensure council staff's recommended option of a council-controlled organisation (CCO) won the day. Councillors were evenly split on the issue, despite 77% of the 118 submissions received during community consultation favouring the retention of Three Waters services in house. In her report for councillors, strategy and reform manager Pennie Pearce said submitters' main concerns about a CCO had either already been addressed by her original analysis, or would be dealt with by amendments to the government's "Local Water Done Well" reforms. Since submissions had opened in June, amendments had been made to the Local Government (Water Services) Bill that strengthened the case for a CCO, Ms Pearce said. Asked by Cr Esther Whitehead whether the council's recommendation showed a disregard for the consultation process, chief executive Mike Theelen said it was not a "game of numbers". He urged councillors to make their decisions "based on the information and evidence before you". The decision means the council will transfer the district's drinking water, wastewater and stormwater assets — and associated liabilities — to a CCO, but will be its sole shareholder. Ms Pearce's analysis projects average annual water charges for households to be 10% lower under a CCO in the long term, compared with the in-house model. The CCO will operate independently from the council, with its own specialist board and management, although amendments to the Bill will require CCOs to consult with the community on matters of significance. The council's debt is expected to significantly decrease, giving it more headroom for other capital spending. Property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery told councillors a CCO would be "singular in its purpose", faster to respond to changing circumstances and better placed to secure debt and expertise. Cr Lisa Guy said the small number of submissions — about 100 from a population of more than 50,000 — did not represent a mandate for keeping the status quo. Many submitters had opposed a CCO, but also criticised the existing model for its delivery of Three Waters services. "If we're in agreement the status quo isn't delivering, how can we not be open to a model that might provide us with hope of doing it better?" Cr Niki Gladding said they were making their decision in a "fear and pressure environment" arising from repeated staff warnings of how central government might react if they chose the in-house model. "Neither option is the status quo. Both are an improvement. "I don't see why we can't achieve the benefits of a CCO — bar losing the debt — with an excellent in-house model." Cr Matt Wong said he was wary of basing his decision on cost, because he was sceptical about the accuracy of financial projections over such a long time period. They were under pressure from the government to make a decision based on highly complex information and a great deal of uncertainty, and he joked he would "need a coin" to make his. "I hope the public listening today is not going to judge any one of us on which way we vote."
