Mid Canterbury speed reductions parked with government

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Methven and Rakaia residents wanting speed reductions along stretches of their townships will have to wait a little longer.

The changes were awaiting sign-off at the end of last year but the change of Government put the brakes on any progress.

The Rakaia community has been wanting the reduction for years as traffic volumes have continued to rise, making it increasingly hazardous for locals to get across the highway. In Methven, development has extended to the north and the speed zone hasn’t been moved with it.

Deputy mayor and road safety committee chairperson Liz McMillan said the speed changes were all lined up and ready to go but the “box just hasn’t been ticked”.

New transport minister Simeon Brown contacted all road controlling authorities in December to notify them of his plans to amend the speed limit rules, advising them to stop work on current speed management plans until the new rule was in place.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi updated the Ashburton District road safety co-ordinating committee on Tuesday about how that affected the proposed speed reductions for the Methven and Rakaia townships.

A report submitted to the meeting suggested Rakaia has already been taken off the list for the National Land Transport Plan 21-24 Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan projects due to a recent reprioritisation.

The speed was to be reduced from 100kph down to 60kph past the Ōpuke Thermal Pools, out of Methven on SH77, a reduction from 70kph to 50kph on SH1 through Rakaia, and down to 80kph across the Rakaia River Bridge as well as a 60kph variable zone between the new weigh stations north of the bridge.

The road safety committee plans to contact Minister of Transport Simeon Brown to ask the director of land transport to approve the changes for Methven as soon as possible, McMillan said.

Mayor Neil Brown said the Rakaia speed limits are “more complicated” due to the weigh station, which is scheduled to open later this year.

Rangitata MP James Meager also planned to raise it with the minister’s office “to see what we can do about progressing the speed limit reductions”.

“I’ve always held the view that if local communities want reasonable speed limit changes in their areas, they should be able to do so.”

Methven and Rakaia cases are "sensible changes, supported by the community”, he said.

The introduction of 30kph variable school speed zones on SH77 in Methven and by Ashburton Borough School are also in limbo.

The Government’s planned changes will allow the council to introduce time restrictions to the 30kph school zones that were introduced last year without the need for the expensive electronic variable signs.