Reduce speed now: cyclists
A WANAKA cycling lobby group has expressed concern over the months it could take the Queenstown Lakes District council to erect new permanent speed limits, saying ‘‘it is not proceeding at the pace the community expects’’.
Councillors voted last week to approve permanent speed limit reductions for the Arrowtown town centre, the unsealed section of Beacon Point Rd, a section of Mount Aspiring Rd (near the Roy’s Peak car park), a section of Cemetery Rd and Ballantyne
Rd, as well as extending the Wanaka urban traffic area.
They also agreed to the new speed signs being installed over the next seven months before November 30.
Active Transport spokesman Simon Telfer said residents of all ages and abilities emerged during the Covid19 Level 4 lockdown to ride bikes because it was safe to do so.
‘‘Now would be the perfect time to actually change the street signs to 40kmh to play a small part in continuing the benefits of lockdown,’’ he said.
Council policy, standards and assets planner Polly Lambert said the council had yet to call for tenders for the signage installation.
‘‘Depending on this and the capacity of contractors given the current climate, I don’t have a set programme for delivery,’’ she said.
Wanaka ward councillor Quentin Smith said the council was programming the rollout of the speed signage as soon as it could.
‘‘While we would love to be in line with reopening after lockdown, it won’t be too far down the track,’’ he said.