Bumpy ride for new speed limits

Waipa¯’s newly introduced road speed limits have been labelled ‘‘income-generating’’ for police but supporters of the changes say it’ll lead to safer driving habits.

More speed limit changes are proposed for the district, on top of the 200 that were introduced in November 2019.

Details were outlined by the council’s manager transportation Bryan Hudson and its transportation planning engineer, Xinghai Chen, to the service delivery committee.

Their report said it cost about

$190,000 to install the new speed limits in Cambridge, Te Awamutu town centres, near schools as well as some rural roads. The changes, to lower speeds, were introduced to improve road safety.

The latest speed limit change is proposed for Kakaramea Rd,

SH39, which runs from O¯ torohanga, through Waipa¯ and connecting to the Waikato Expressway near Horotiu.

Councillors had mixed opinions about the value of the new speed limits.

Councillor Hazel Barnes wanted to know if the police were enforcing the new speed limits.

‘‘There is an 80kmh speed limit on Roto-o-rangi Rd but no one is driving that speed. I do, but then I get a car right up behind me tooting its horn.

‘‘So we have these speed limits but where are the police to enforce it?’’

Hudson said it would be best to have the police at a meeting to answer that question.

Councillor Susan O’Regan said she had ‘‘nothing but negative’’ feedback about the speed limits.

‘‘I recall a time when we discussed this issue and we were assured this wasn’t going to be an income-generating move for the police.

‘‘Really it was about a change in people (driver) behaviour. I can tell you for four days after it was changed, I saw four cars being ticketed at Cambridge and Puahue road area.’’

Councillor Grahame Webber, committee chairman, said a discussion at a recent transport meeting with other mayors questioned the focus on speed when it came to road safety.

It was thought speed was ranked fifth in terms of the factors contributing to fatal crashes. No seat belts, alcohol and drug use, driver inattention and bad choices were ranked higher.

Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk and councillor Mike Pettit were happy with the new speed limits and the public consultation by staff.

Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Jeff Penno, in a statement, said it was not for police to comment on setting speed limits, the police role was to enforce the law.