Speed reduction celebrated in Methven
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The Methven community will be celebrating a win with Waka Kotahi set to reduce the speed in the northern entrance to the town.
The speed reduction, and other proposed safety improvements along State Highway 77, were reported to the Methven Community Board by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency regional senior safety engineer James Long this week.
Lowering the speed past Ōpuke hot pools has been hot on the community’s agenda, pushing for a reduction from 100kph along the stretch of SH77 on the northern entrance to the township.
Waka Kotahi consulted on a reduction to 80kph, which was “unsurprisingly” deemed inappropriate in the feedback, Long said.
It has instead resulted in a reduction to 60kph, but he was unable to confirm when it would be changed.
Deputy mayor and Methven resident Liz McMillan is delighted at the decision.
“I walk along that area often and see how much the new footpath is used and when the speed is finally reduced to 60km it will be so much safer and a big win for our community."
Long also covered the school variable speed zones and possible improvements to the pedestrian crossing and the SH77/Forest Drive/Methven-Chertsey Rd intersection.
McMillan and school principals had met with Long at the pedestrian crossing that services all three schools in the town earlier this year to discuss safety issues.
The result will be the removal of some car parks to increase visibility as well as a recommendation to raise the crossing, which reduces speeds to avoid a “catastrophic outcome”, Long said.
The pedestrian crossing will also benefit from a variable 30kph speed zone that will be introduced in the next 12 months.
The speed will reduce to 30kph, from 50kph, for a small period at the start and end of the school day, with the zone stretching from around Dolma St to just north of the pedestrian crossing, Long said.
The other area being considered for safety improvements in the future is the town’s main intersection.
Rather than the current cross roads, it will be recommended a small roundabout may function better, Long said. A potential new pedestrian crossing in the centre of town is also being proposed.
The roundabout and pedestrian crossing have been added to the list to be considered for the next National Land Transport Programme.
Methven Community Board member Richie Owen supported looking at the safety initiatives as the increasing road usage as the town develops means some of the road layouts may be out of date.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.5% Yes
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46.5% No
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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