Speed reduction ‘trial’ review never happened

A review into 90kph speed limits introduced on State Highway 6 in 2020 never happened, despite the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi saying this would be done in June last year.

“The reduction of the speed limit from 100kph to 90kph was only a two-year trial,” Marlborough Roads senior transport planner Laura Skilton told the council’s assets and services committee.

“That trial finished in June 2023, so the trial was actually finished seven months ago. They [NZTA] haven't done anything ... as a council officer I've been chasing up with them. I get no replies.”

The transport agency announced changes to speed limits on SH6, between Nelson and Blenheim, following consultation in 2019. Most of the 100kph route was dropped to 90kph, but some sections of the highway reduced to 80kph. The Whangamoa Saddle, parts of Atawhai, and the Pelorus Bridge reduced to 60kph.

At the time, the agency said the 90kph zones would be reviewed again in June last year. An agency spokesperson confirmed this had not happened, and could not confirm when a review would take place.

However, the spokesperson said early indicators from monitoring showed the reduced speed limits had produced an “encouraging” trend. “Since the speed limit changes were implemented, the number of people being killed or seriously injured on this stretch of road has reduced by 75%,” the spokesperson said.

In the 10 years before the speed limits were changed, 19 people died and 86 were seriously injured on the highway, the spokesperson said. During the two years following the speed limit change, one person died, and four suffered severe injuries.

The spokesperson said the agency would continue to monitor the 90kph sections, and the speeds would be reviewed again in the future to ensure they were appropriate.

“At this stage, no date has been set for the 90kph sections to be reviewed again.”

Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced changes to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule in December.

The spokesperson said work was underway to develop a new rule, and the agency expected to receive more information from the Ministry of Transport later this year. “This will inform our next steps for speed management planning.”

Meanwhile, as part of changes announced by Brown, the requirement for councils to develop speed management plans became discretionary, rather than mandatory.

Skilton was presenting to the council’s assets and services committee about Marlborough’s speed management plan when she revealed she could not get an answer out of the transport agency about the SH6 speed limits.

While SH6 speed limits were separate to the speed management plan, Marlborough Sounds ward councillor Barbara Faulls said they still received submissions about SH6.

Some of those submissions used a lot of “fairly interesting language”, Faulls said.

Skilton, who worked for Marlborough Roads and therefore the council, also had a manager at the transport agency. She said that manager was aware of the situation with SH6. “Again, I still haven't heard anything back. So there are other people talking, and I will continue to prod.”

She said she had also reminded the agency it was their requirement to signpost SH6 side roads.

RICKY WILSON/STUFF State Highway 6 is the main highway between Nelson and Blenheim.