Call for speed limit change
Some Lumsden locals are calling for speed limits to be dropped at the three state highway approaches to the town.
Christine Henderson called a public meeting on Friday after campaigning for three years to slow traffic coming into and leaving the northern Southland town.
Henderson has asked the New Zealand Traffic Agency to reduce speed limits, especially at the eastern entrance, where the towns’ two schools are. ‘‘What drives me is the desire to prevent deaths with locals telling me about so many near misses which horrifies me. I know of nowhere where 100km sign is allowed inside a town boundary, which is the case on this eastern entrance – which means it is placed in the residential area, where several families with young children live.
‘‘With the traffic increases through the township, dangers are increasing and it seems shifting the signs out of town further towards Gore, with little cost, is the answer.’’
Lumsden Community Development Area committee chairman Rob Scott, who was at the meeting, said the speed signs needed to be moved further out of town.
‘‘There is an increase in the number of people coming through Lumsden. Big trucks along with tourist traffic, many of whom do not take responsibility for reducing their speed which puts others at risk.
Several other signs in the town were also discussed, as often the travelling public get confused about which direction to take, causing erratic driving and consternation for other road users, he said.
Tim Hanna, who lives at the bottom of the dip east of the cemetery, said the
‘What drives me is the desire to prevent deaths with locals telling me about so many near misses, which horrifies me.’ Christine Henderson
most dangerous situation is when he is turning into his driveway. ‘‘People accelerating to 100kmh are out of sight of our car turning in to our driveway, at the bottom of the dip. All of my concerns about speed and lack of consideration means speed signs are there to keep people safe, which is not the case near our home.’’
‘‘These issues are magnified in the winter when severe icy conditions are common, meaning trying to stop adds to the danger of more severe accidents.’’
The Northern Southland town is situated at the junction of State Highway 94, which runs across the Waimea Plains from Gore and State Highway 6 – which runs between Invercargill and the West Coast.
Locals at the townships of Athol and Garston, further north towards Queenstown, have also approached the NZTA about dropping the speed limit in their towns.
New Zealand Transport Agency has been approached for comment.