The NZ Transport Agency is currently identifying state highways where lower speed limits could make a difference in preventing deaths and serious injuries, and where communities are calling for change.

South Canterbury/North Otago has two communities where residents have been wanting a speed review for some time and both welcome the announcement of the required formal speed review consultation opening.

Residents of Glenavy and Waitaki, on both sides of the Waitaki River, want to see the speeds in their area reduced.

In Winchester, north of Timaru, residents want to see the 50kph zone extended to incorporate the many residences and businesses on the north side of the town.

“We are proposing to reduce the existing 70kph speed limit in Glenavy to 60kph and then reduce the speed from 100kph to 80kph over the Waitaki Bridge and through the settlement on the south side of the bridge,” says NZTA director of regional relationships Jim Harland.

There have been 26 crashes on this stretch of highway in the past 10 years (2009 – 2018) resulting in one person being killed, three seriously injured, and another 16 people receiving minor injuries.

“In Winchester, the busy intersection where North Street meets State Highway 1 in a 100kph zone causes a lot of concern,” says Harland. “The residents there were so keen to see the speed reduced they recently presented us with a petition signed by close to 300 people supporting the speed reduction.”

Jo Parke, a resident of Winchester, has been keen to see the speed reduced for years. To show that it wasn‘t just her and a few of her neighbours pushing for this speed review, she started the petition. An overwhelming majority of Winchester residents and business people signed the petition in support of the speed review.

“We have huge concerns regarding residents‘ safety and especially for the children in our community because of the high speeds at which people are travelling through Winchester,” she says.

Residents were concerned about multiple near-miss incidents related to the current signage and its visibility relative to the nearby bend, the intersection and a built-up area.

Formal public consultation on these proposed changes to the speeds in Glenavy and Waitaki and extending the 50kph zone on the north side of Winchester will run from 7 October to 4 November.

Further information and on-line options to make submissions on these proposals can be found on www.nzta.govt.nz/Canterbury-speed-reviews

Reviewing speeds is part of the NZTA‘s Safe Network Programme, which will deliver proven safety interventions on high-risk routes across New Zealand.

What are the proposals?