School at limit of patience over speed

NOT SO FAST: Te Ranga School wants the speed limit outside the school lowered, from left, Teaioranga Birch, 7, Pianika Birch, 5, Brendan Wilson (principal), Drew Williams, 9, and Josh Williams, 10. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

A Western Bay of Plenty school is considering putting up its own speed signs if the council does not step in and lower the 100km/h speed limit outside the gate.

Te Ranga school principal Brendan Wilson said he was concerned the high speed limit on Te Matai Rd was endangering his 114 students.

"Obviously there is a huge risk. Someone might be travelling past, with a child in the wrong place, and before you know it's too late.

"We're stuck with a bureaucratic red tape scenario," he said.

"We are exasperated and frustrated to the point where I have ordered two 70km/h signs online from China. I will be erecting them myself if we don't make headway soon."

He said the school was working to mitigate risks and had created policies and procedures for all potential threats to students and staff.

"Yet five metres outside our fence, we have an obvious danger beyond our control. Wouldn't it be tragic if a child was killed because bureaucratic processes had halted something as simple as two road signs?

"And there is a blind corner. It's come to the point we feel we've done everything in our power. It's up to the council now."

Mr Wilson said the school had been asking the Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City councils to change the speed limit for a long time, without success.

"We have been investigating this for at least two years and cannot believe the red tape, meetings, submissions and processes that are required."

A spokesperson from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council said changing speed limits required a change to the bylaw, consultation with the public and agencies such as the Automobile Association, NZ Transportation Agency, police and the Road Transport Association.

"The Transport Agency is currently reviewing the policies and procedures by which speed limits are set and a trial is under way with various councils in the Waikato. Once this trial is completed and the results are available we will do a review in accordance with the new procedures. This is likely to be in 2017.

"We would advise the school not to put up their own speed limit signs as they would not be enforceable or supported by the police. For this reason we would need to remove any illegal signs. We encourage the school to discuss their concerns with us as there may be other temporary measures that could be put in place until any potential review happens."