Sections of State Highway 5 will remain at 80kph. Photo: LDR/Laura Smith
A proposal to raise the speed limit on a busy section of Rotorua highway has been dropped in a move one petition creator has called a "victory for common sense".
In January, the Government announced it would consult on reversing a swathe of state highway speed limits lowered under the Labour Government.
At the time, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the changes would make it easier for people and freight to move as quickly and efficiently as possible, and would drive economic growth and productivity.
More than 21,500 people had their say during public consultation and, based on this, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said 43 locations would return to their previous higher speed limits, with six remaining at their current lower speed limits.
Three of those six are in Rotorua - SH30 Rotorua South, SH5 Waipā State Mill Road and SH5 Waiotapu.
NZTA said road users and communities in those six locations made their support for the current lower speed limits clear. The tipping point for keeping a limit in place was if 50 percent wanted it to remain. to.
About 73 percent of 1030 responses wanted the 1.33km stretch from south of the Hemo Rd roundabout to south of Waipa State Mill Road to stay at 80kph.
They included 513 who signed a petition submitted against raising it to 100kph.
Rotorua resident and former council candidate Ryan Gray created the petition.
"In a victory for common sense, NZTA has listened to the community," he said. "I'm incredibly grateful for the 500-plus people who signed the petition, which helped overwhelmingly show the community wanted the speed limit to remain at its current level."
At the time it was announced, businesses expressed their concern to Local Democracy Reporting, noting the business of the area and how there were blind spots.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said it was positive most feedback was listened to and she thanked locals who shared views.
About 1km of SH5 from north-east of Waikite Valley Rd to southwest of Waiotapu Loop Rd will stay 80kph. Photo: Google Maps
"Playing with speed limits won't fix the underlying safety problem that NZ Transport Agency decided not to invest any more into, such as upgrades on Rotorua State Highways for the next three years," she said.
"This is despite [the] council having provided plans and community aspirations for safety improvements in places like Waipa State Mill Road, and industrial areas near the Rotorua Airport, almost 10 years ago.
"While we'll take these speed changes as a win, we won't give up the fight to see the investment that Rotorua deserves to be safer and also support the growth happening in our district."
Tapsell made similar comments last month, responding to residents' concerns about the speed limit proposal.
At the time, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Bay of Plenty and Waikato system design regional manager Susan Collins said it appreciated the concerns about safe and effective roading links to and from Rotorua.
The district received more than $65 million for projects in recent years, particularly for State Highway 30. Bids for funding were always more than what was available and this was prioritised, she said.
Regional investment under the programme was forecast to total $1.9 billion - $500m more than under the previous programme. Other investment in Rotorua included safety improvements at State Highway 33 from Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa.
"The high rate of deaths and serious injuries in Bay of Plenty is being addressed with targeted infrastructure improvements, maintaining the state highway network and increased police enforcement," Collins said.
Bay of Plenty state highway maintenance totalled $319m for the programme period - $208m is ring-fenced for pothole prevention.
Meanwhile. the speed limit on about 1km of SH5 from north-east of Waikite Valley Rd to southwest of Waiotapu Loop Rd would also stay at 80kph. Submissions totalled 799 and included a 57-signature petition.
Implementation of the speed limit reversals would be rolled out in monthly tranches, with all reversals in effect by 1 July.
Among them are sections of State Highway 30 from Rotorua towards Whakatāne, where the limit dropped to 80kph. These will revert to 100kph.
More than 80 percent of respondents wanted this for each length. The Te Teko to Awakeri section had 1264 responses, and 90 percent wanted it raised.
Consultation on another 16 sections of state highway is open until 14 May
.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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