Far North District Councillor Mate Radich says there's a "bit of light showing" over efforts by he and Kaitaia business owners to reduce dangerous driving speeds.
They have been campaigning to get speed limits on a fatal stretch of State Highway 1 (SH1) into the Far North town reduced from 70km/h to 50km/h.
However, representatives for the group say they had been forced to take matters into their own hands, putting up their own temporary 50km/h signs in recent weeks.
Now, Radich says he’s been notified by Waka Kotahi, the New Zealand Transport Authority, that a consultation will take place next month about the possibility of reducing speed limits.
In a statement, Steve Mutton, Waka Kotahi's Director of Regional Relationships for Auckland and Northland says he agrees that the current speed limit along this stretch of SH1 is no longer appropriate.
“We share the concerns we have heard, and are proposing to reduce the current speed limit along this section of SH1 to safer speeds – including 50km/h, 60 km/h and 80 km/h where appropriate," says Mutton.
Waka Kotahi has confirmed that a consultation will take place from May 17, which will first focus on addressing speeds through townships and outside schools, before looking at those for open roads and other areas.
"We appreciate the speed review process is long and feels slow, but changing any speed limit in New Zealand is a legal process with set stages that we are required to complete," says Mutton.
Radich told Breakfast that while this latest communication from Waka Kotahi means that there's "a bit of light showing", he’s still disappointed with the Agency.
"This should have been done at least two years ago."
Local businessman Murray Harrison, who owns Harrison Cape Reinga Tours and has been campaigning for the speed reductions for 15 years, says the proposal's still not good enough and that the entrance to Kaitaia should also be 50km/h as it's a bottleneck.
He believes it's ridiculous that quieter Far North towns have 50km/h zones when a busy industrial centre like Kaitaia doesn't.
However, Murray says he's glad something's happening now.
"There's been a lot of near misses. There's been a lot of crashes here as well."
"You can just imagine the amount of traffic that's coming in."
Murray told Breakfast the campaigners who have been installing temporary 50km/h signs have got themselves "into trouble" over it but he says they're willing to do it again if they don't get results.
Responding to the suggestion they had been rebels, Radich says "you've got to be a rebel to get results".
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