Speed limits changing on 39 roads
Western Bay of Plenty District Council has reviewed and is changing speed limits on 39 local roads across the district and will introduce new or variable speed limits for 12 schools during opening and closing times.
The changes are a result of public consultation on council’s partial speed limit bylaw review earlier this year.
Changes include a variable 40km/ h speed limit around seven urban schools and permanent active warning signs (60km/h) at five rural schools to encourage motorists to reduce speed during peak opening and closing times.
In the Te Puke district variable limits, set at 40km/h, will be set around the school zones of Maketu¯ , Paengaroa and Te Puke Intermediate schools.
Active warning advisory speed signs will be erected at Rangiuru, Pongakawa, and Pukehina schools.
The speed limit changes have also been influenced by increased residential subdivision and increased traffic on the council’s roading network.
The local changes include the extension of speed limits on No 1 Rd and No 2 Rd where residents have in the past raised the issue of speed at ward forums and community board meetings.
Karen Hooper lives on No 2 Rd and raised the issue of speed near the intersection with Dudley Vercoe Drive with Te Puke Community Board in February. She says the change to speed limits in the area was good news.
Children from the area who attend Fairhaven School have to cross the road.
“Anything with the speed limit reduced, we are happy with,” she says.
“I feel like we’ve been heard. We know it’s been a unique year this year, so we’ve just been patient, but it will be really good when it’s put in place.”
She says traffic using the intersection of Dudley Vercoe Drive and No 2 Rd has increased with the building of houses in Tynan St.
Earlier this year Colin Cooper put up a sign on No 1 Rd close to his home urging truck drivers to slow down.
While he says he is pleased something has been done, he is sceptical that an extension of the 50km/h zone will have much of an effect.
“I don’t think anybody obeys the speed restrictions, so I don’t think it will make a scrap of difference,” he says.
“It’s an enforcement issue and it always has been — but how do you enforce a speed limit on what is effectively a country road, short of having a speed camera and a couple of big notices saying ‘you will get tickets if you speed’.
“The trouble isn’t the private transport, it’s the trade transport one way or another.”
There will be 40km/h variable speed limit signs on Wilson Rd, outside Maketu¯ School.
Principal Sonia Mau says it is “going to be great in terms of the students walking along there”.
“That corner on Wilson Rd, that’s very fast. It will be great to see something in place there that will improve student safety. We have a number of students that walk in both directions along Wilson Rd so that will be excellent.”
Western Bay mayor Garry Webber says the reduced speeds will go some way to making the local roading network safer.
“The major cause of injury and death on our roads are alcohol, speed and drugs.
“Reducing speed limits on our local roads will have a significant impact on road safety in our district.”
He says the council’s decision to reduce speeds around rural schools during peak drop-off and pick-up times is a direct response to many requests from the public.
Where the proposed new speed limits will be:
“We have reviewed the speed environment around all our schools and assessed which are the best options for managing speeds. The changes take into consideration the environment around each of the schools.
“Some are best suited for variable speed limits set at 40km/h and others are better suited for active warning signs to raise motorists awareness they are entering a rural school zone.”
Once formally adopted by council on December 17, the changes will come into effect from March 29, 2021.