Auckland Transport is set to introduce new reduced speed limits across three Auckland suburbs from next month.
By Stephen Forbes, Local Democracy Reporter
In October, AT announced plans to introduce 30km/h speed limits across almost all of Manurewa East, Weymouth and Clendon Park.
According to AT spokesperson Natalie Polley, the new reduced speed limits in the three suburbs will now take effect from January 26.
“AT and its road safety partners Waka Kotahi, NZ Police, Ministry of Transport and many others are working together to reduce road deaths and serious injuries on our roads to zero by 2050,” she said.
“Even when speed doesn't cause the crash, it is the single biggest determinant in whether anyone is killed, injured or walks away unharmed. There are individuals, whānau and communities who have experienced loss and devastation due to road trauma."
Polley said the proposed reduced speed limits were all around schools in residential areas where there’s typically a lot of walking and cycling activity.
She said the internationally accepted speed to greatly reduce the chances of a pedestrian being killed or seriously injured was 30km/h, which was considered the "safe and appropriate speed limit in residential areas around schools".
AT already rolled out speed limit changes in more than 800 roads around Auckland in June and July this year.
But Clendon Park resident Sammy Edwards described Auckland Transport’s plan to introduce the reduced 30km/h speed limits in the area from next month as ridiculous.
She said she thought the new proposed speed limits were too slow. But Edwards conceded something needed to be done to address the high number of car accidents in the area.
“There’s been a few fatalities in the area in the last couple of years,” she said. “So maybe we need it.”
But glazier Ricky Redfern said the 30km/h speed limits AT was planning to roll out next month were a step too far.
He regularly works in the Clendon Park, Manurewa East and Weymouth areas.
“30km/h is just too slow, so I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Chardonnay Topia, who works in Clendon Park, said the lower speed limits in the area would only add to her daily commute times.
“I live in Panmure, but I have to travel here for my job,” she said.
But Topia said she saw a lot of dangerous driving in the area and the fact AT has decided to act wasn’t a surprise.
“People are always speeding in the area so it might make things safer, so I guess that has to be a good thing.”
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ On Air.
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