A speed limit reduction on a stretch of State Highway 10 in the Far North has greatly reduced crashes — but more people have been caught speeding.
The limit was cut down to 60km/h following a campaign from concerned locals.
While it is safer, some are frustrated by the increased travel time, and others believe it is necessary to keep people safe.
Local Kathleen O'Hare told 1News: "We are the main road to the north. Tourism comes through here, trucks come through here, [along with] buses and locals, so the traffic is heavy... so having the speed helps everyone stay safe."
Locals campaigned for years to have the old 100km/h speed limit changed. The move finally came after two brothers were struck by vehicles in two separate incidents a year apart, with 10-year-old Seth Ngawhika nearly dying.
His father Rob Ngawhika said it was "very frustrating" to know all those years they had been campaigning to get the speed limit down, "nothing had been done" until the incidents took place.
"[He] was my only boy. There were a lot of crashes up and down that highway."
Since the speed limits were lowered through Kaingaroa and Kareponia Hill two-and-a-half years ago, there have been seven crashes, only one of them serious.
That's a 76% drop compared to the two-and-a-half years before, which saw 29 crashes, three of which were serious.
"I really tautoko (support) with what the government has done. It really has made it a lot safer," Ngawhika said.
But some motorists have found the adjustment frustrating.
Far North councillor Felicity Foy said: "We need to get the economy moving and to get it moving we have to be moving on our roads. Well I appreciate safety is the factor, the economic basis for our whole economy is our primary sectors."
The number of speeding tickets issued along this stretch of road has tripled, 260 were issued in December, compared to 87 in the same month in 2019.
Police said it targets areas of high risk for those using the roads to catch out motorists driving dangerously, and will continue to issue tickets where warranted.
The Government plans to reverse speed limit reductions on state highways but Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the changes in Northland have had strong support among the community.
*The original version of this story incorrectly referred to the speed reduction being on SH1.
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