Hawke’s Bay mayors are fighting a decision by the transport agency to lower the speed limit on parts of State Highway 5.
By Jessica Swan
A 100km/h limit has been replaced with an 80km/h speed limit for the 76km section of SH5 between Rangitaiki and Esk Valley in Hawke’s Bay.
But Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says it is a pointless and potentially harmful change.
“Everyone in Hawke’s Bay wants a safe route from Napier to Taupō. My concern is that this blanket speed limit drop will do nothing to make it safer, and may make the situation worse with frustrated drivers taking more risks after being stuck behind traffic travelling at or below 80km/h”.
Hazlehurst says the process was “flawed” and the community was denied meaningful consultation or consideration of the plan.
“Not one single change was made as a result of submissions to the proposal; the bulk of which were against the speed drop and many of which included very good reasons for their opposition.”
In a statement, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency acknowledges there was “very little support from stakeholder and the community”. Instead, most submitters wanted other road safety improvements and infrastructure, with many saying speed was not the main cause of crashes.
The amount of public concern led to an extended consultation period, where Waka Kotahi says it addressed the issues raised.
Despite this, few organisations are in support.
Some, such as the Road Transport Association and the Te Pohue community, are strongly against.
Others, like Fire and Emergency New Zealand and St John Ambulance, supported the speed decrease in principle, but believe policing this will be challenging.
However, Waka Kotahi’s Linda Stewart says reducing the speed limit is the most effective and immediate way to drastically improve safety for road users.
“While many would like the 100km/h speed limit to remain, the evidence clearly shows that it is not safe for this section of road, even for the best drivers.”
This comes after 246 injury crashes on this section of highway between 2010 and 2019. During this period, 75 people were seriously injured and 16 were killed.
These have come with a social, economic and financial toll as well.
“These costs include reduced quality of life for survivors; reduced economic productivity; and medical and other resource costs. The Ministry of Transport calculates the current average social cost of a fatal crash in New Zealand at an estimated $5.37 million, and $1,005,000 per reported serious crash.”
But local government continues to fight the decision.
Since 2020, road safety education has taken place in the area. Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay Alex Walker says this targeted government investment, with campaigns such as ‘Stay Alive on 5’, have significantly reduced death and serious injury on the highway.
As a crucial connection point, she says Waka Kotahi’s changes “doesn’t appear to have been done with a good view of the ‘whole of system’”.
“I think it is particularly sad that the people who live on the road, and who see and experience the conditions, feel that they have been ignored.”
Hazlehurst adds the whole economy will be affected by the change – some more than others.
“One chap who drives a truck over it four times a day is now going to have to drop that to three, to stay within his legal driving time limits. He is paid per trip – so he will lose a quarter of his income.”
Now the Regional Transport Committee, with full support of all the region’s mayors, is awaiting legal advice on how they can combat the change, and what they see as potentially significant negative consequences for their community.
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