Coastal settlement calls for speed limit reductions
Residents of a small coastal community in the Coromandel have brought their plea for speed reductions to the next level. The Little Bay community had been pleading for the measures since 2017 and were now demanding Thames-coromandel District Council take action.
The community was asking for speed limits to be changed from 100km/h to 50km/h on Waikawau and Tuateawa roads, 30km/h on Little Bay Drive, plus the installation of slow-down signs on Little Bay Drive.
Danny Topia, chairman of the Little Bay Ratepayers Association, said the group made a submission to the council about seven years ago, which has since resulted in warning signs being installed, but the speed limit was still to be “officially” reduced.
“Everything is in place . . . the signage has been put up, the roads have been painted, but we haven’t had any speed limit applied.
“It’s still an open speed limit right through the community, I find it difficult to understand what the issue is.”
Topia talked to the Coromandel Colville Community Board last week saying he had seen some very close calls.
“A few elderly people, they were so close to getting cleaned out by a car.”
The group’s 2017 submission also stated the Tuateawa Rd speed limit was 100km/h through an area where children boarded school buses.
Little Bay residents and visitors had expressed safety concerns for all pedestrians as well, especially children who walked to the beach from their homes and the Department of Conservation camp.
Topia said since the submission, there had been a lot of emails going back and forth, however, he had not received any communications to outline why the speed limit was not being changed or what needed to be done to do this.
“It just seems to be so simple to me,” Topia said.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Topia threatened he would make a trail of emails public if somebody got seriously hurt.
Coromandel Colville Community Board chairperson Gavin Jeffcoat said the board understood Topia’s anger and frustration.
Jeffcoat said the community board was keen to bring the group’s submission forward to the council.
“All you can do is ask for it to be done and it should be done,” Jeffcoat said. “We need to be advocating for [it] and make sure it is not kicked down the road.”
Speaking to the Hauraki coromandel Post after the meeting, Jeffcoat said there had been ongoing concerns about speed limits in and out of the community.
A review has since been completed, and some signposting and painting of roads were completed.
Jeffcoat said despite the measures already undertaken, the board still believed the speed limit needed to be reduced from 100km/h to 50km/h.
Jeffcoat said the board supported Topia’s proposal and had asked for a report on what needed to be done to reduce the speed limit.
“We are anticipating that report will be available for the June meeting; we would like to see the town speed limit reduced before next summer.”
Jeffcoat said while the previous Government had set a speed limit plan in motion, the new Government had different ideas about setting speed limits.
He said the Thames-coromandel District Council had to work alongside the Government in making any changes to speed limits.