Backlash over 80kmh speed limit

going past the school, she said.

Back in Canvastown, resident Carleen Shallcrass said the lack of a passing lane and uneducated drivers were the main contributors for road crashes.

‘‘Leave it [speed limit] as it is and maybe have more passing lanes so people can pass easily, and more driver education is what is needed,’’ Shallcrass said.

‘‘People doing stupid things, that’s causing the accidents, it’s actually more slow drivers and people trying to pass people,’’ she said.

NZTA director of regional relationships Jim Harland said last week reducing the speed limit on the highway was the most effective way of improving the safety of the road, adding there was no engineering ‘‘easy fix’’.

‘‘It’s popular with cyclists, busy with freight and commuters, and there are school children and others crossing the road in 100kmh environments,’’ Harland said.

‘‘We are investigating other improvements such as safety barriers, but one of the immediate actions we can take right now to prevent people from dying or being seriously injured is to reduce speed limits, so they are safe and right for the road.’’

Between 2009 and 2018, there had been a total of 19 deaths and 87 serious injuries on 100kmh zones on SH6 between Nelson and Blenheim.

If the proposal was approved, it would increase the journey between Nelson and Blenheim by nine minutes, with half of that time from the Blenheim to Havelock leg, Harland said.

Public submissions on the proposal close on November 12. Submissions can be made at www.nzta.govt.nz/blenheimnelson-speed-review.