How fast should we go?
13 May 2016
Waipa District Council is asking people how fast is too fast as part of a proposal to lower the speed limit on some Waipa Roads.
Council wants to lower speeds around Cambridge on St Kilda Road, Cambridge Road, Maungatautari Road, Hydro Road, Tirau Road, Achilles Avenue, Shakespeare Street and Fencourt Road outside Goodwood School.
The Council also wants people to slow down in Te Awamutu town centre, Pokuru Road outside Pokuru School and Paterangi Road outside Paterangi School.
Barry Bergin, general manager service delivery said lowering the speed limits was about safety and matching the road environments to the most appropriate speed.
A car travelling at a slower speed has a shorter stopping distance, which can make all the difference particularly outside schools. Adding a minute or two minutes travel time is surely not a big ask if our roads and our children are going to be safer. Speed affects the impact of every crash and it's one risk good drivers can minimise.
Bergin said lowering the speed limit will address concerns raised by schools and the community, reduce the severity of injury crashes, create a safer shopping and business environment and make it safer for all road users including pedestrians and cyclists.
Part of our job is to make our community safe for people of all ages to walk, cycle and drive. But not all roads are created equal and there's no one-size-fits-all' for speed limits. We need to drive at the right speed for the road and the conditions and be flexible.
As an example, Council is proposing to introduce a speed limit of 60km/h during school drop off and pick-up times outside Pokuru School. The electronic signage is activated by the school, and creates a legal speed limit to be enforced by the NZ Police.
It's something the school has wanted for a while and we support it, Bergin said.
The proposal to reduce speed on Waipa roads follows public engagement earlier this year. Council worked with Waikato Regional Council, the District Health Board and the Waikato Regional Transport Committee Speed Management Project to assess roads in Waipa based on risk and consequence of a crash.
So, how fast should we go? View the proposed speed limit changes and tell Council what you think from 18 May 2016 at www.waipadc.govt.nz/haveyoursay
Feedback opens 18 May and closes 5pm, 20 June 2016.
For more information, contact: Nicole Nooyen 07 872 0097 or 027 807 3478