Locals 'ignored' as speed limit reversal questioned
A decision to revert a Waitaki speed limit to 100kmh on July 1 has taken the AA North Otago district council by "total surprise".
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) announced on Wednesday it would reverse the 80kmh speed section of State Highway 1 across the Waitaki-South Canterbury border to 100kmh after a consultation process started on January 30.
The current 80kmh limit over 2.8km begins just south of Waitaki Bridge Village and ends at the 60kmh restriction on the southern entrance to Glenavy.
It was first put into place in September 2020.
AA North Otago District council chairman Andrew Steel said yesterday the outcome was a total surprise.
"Even though consultation is consultation, we felt that it was a no-brainer it stayed where it was at 80," he said.
Mr Steel questioned the NZTA focus on particular feedback — the majority of just over 1200 submissions not representing the affected local community.
"Some of the figures don't quite stack up.
"The locals, as the figures say, definitely were in favour of it staying at 80.
"It looks like their figures have been largely ignored."
The latest review was part of the government's Setting of Speed Limits Rule introduced in October 2024.
The consultation process sought indications of support for retaining the current 80kmh limit.
More than 1200 responses were collected during the formal consultation.
Of those, 646 strongly opposed the current lower limit and a further 56 slightly opposed it.
Only 480 strongly supported the current 80kmh limit with another 28 slightly supporting it.
Another 26 indicated a neutral view.
The consultation process also accounted for who was submitting.
Those were divided into six categories — local community, businesses, road users, schools, Māori and other.
Of the 102 local community responses — those living along or near the section of the current 80kmh section — 83 strongly supported the lower 80kmh limit.
Eight out of nine representative school responses also supported it.
However, the other four categories ticked "strongly oppose" — including 585 out of 1054 road user responses.
Mr Steel said it had contacted Waitaki MP Miles Anderson in the hope of having a meeting to put its case forward to retain the current 80kmh limit.
nic.duff@odt.co.nz
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