Hastings Mayor says Waka Kotahi "let down" Waipatu community with speed limit decision
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says the Waipatu community has been "let down" by Waka Kotahi's speed limit review and proposals for State Highway 51 (SH51).
The New Zealand Transport Agency has confirmed safer new speed limits have been set for SH51 from Marine Parade to Waipatu, which they say will help prevent people from being killed or seriously injured on the road.
From October 29, the speed limit between Clive (north of Farndon Rd) and Napier (south of the Marine Pde intersection) will be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h and the Clive township's southern end near Mill Rd will be reduced from 70 and 80 km/h to 60 km/h.
Waka Kotahi's Director of Regional Relationships Linda Stewart says they consulted with the public earlier this year on proposed speed changes for this section of SH51, following calls from the community for speeds to be lowered and technical assessments of the road that showed it has a high crash risk.
“The region is growing fast and this road is one of the busiest in the area. People use it to get to work, school or the marae, to visit family or friends, or to go to the supermarket. Wherever they’re going, everyone should be able to get there and back safely."
“Safe speeds save lives. It can be the difference between someone being killed, seriously injured or walking away from a crash unharmed. That’s why we’re making the speed limits safer for everyone who uses this road."
But it is the speed limit between Waipatu and Hastings, from 100m north-east of St Georges Road to 350m south-west of Elwood Road, which will drop from 70 km/h to 60 km/h that has caused contention between the two parties.
Mrs Hazlehurst said that while it was pleasing to see reduced speed limits along the state highway connecting Napier, Clive and Hastings, the Waipatu community, in particular, had long had safety
concerns, and had advocated that the speed limit through the community be reduced to 50km/h, and apply to a longer stretch of road.
“Both the Waipatu community and our council’s preference was for the speed limit to be reduced for this section of road down from 70km/h to 50km/hr. We can accept 60km/hr but what the community really wanted to see was the extension of a reduced speed limit through to Te Ara Kahikatea Drive.
She said the Government supported her council with $9.3m of shovel ready funding, much of which they had invested in making the road safer for the residents by improving the road, footpaths and street lighting.
"This is a busy area with a growing number of homes and businesses, a new school on the way and a busy café. We want people to be able to walk and cycle safely and this is something the Government also says it wants – the decision not to extend the speed limit reduction seems nonsensical.”
Mrs Hazlehurst was also disappointed that the decision had taken so long.
“Waka Kotahi made an earlier commitment to conduct its speed limit reviews in line with our Council’s own review - that was over a year ago now, we’ve been waiting a long time. We are concerned they will have the same approach when the review looks at State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō – not engaging properly and not listening to the community.”
Ms Stewart says it did not propose a reduction for the section between St Georges Road and Ruahapia or extend the 60km/h section from Kenilworth Road further to include the Bay Espresso, due to the SH51 Waipatu Marae safety improvement project.
“This project is changing the road layout along this section of road, with widening and a flush median being installed. These safety improvements will enable safer turning and vehicle separation through this area."
Decisions on the safer new speed limits were based on the technical assessment of the road, which considers things like crash history, road environment and speeds that people generally travel at, as well as feedback received during the consultation from the general public and stakeholders.
Between 2010 and 2019, five people were killed and 28 seriously injured on SH51 between Marine Parade and Waipatu.
Ms Stewart says The new speed limits are the safe and appropriate speeds for this road and are more in line with speeds that people currently travel at on the road.
"Waka Kotahi is committed to creating a safe transport system so that we can achieve our vision of an Aotearoa where no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads. Tackling unsafe speeds is key to helping us achieve this vision".
“Fewer serious crashes will also mean fewer closures, which will increase the reliability of this important route.”
