Te Puke's 100km/h speed limit to stay

The proposed speed limit reduction on the busy highway between Domain Rd and Te Puke will not happen. Photo/file

Western Bay District councillors have heeded overwhelming public opinion and left the rural stretches of SH2 between Papamoa and Paengaroa at 100km/h.

The council today voted unanimously to largely stick with the status quo on speed limits on the road that will revert to council ownership once the Tauranga Eastern Link opened later this year.

Councillors said they had listened to the submissions and the 1064 people that signed the petition opposing the 80km/h speed limit that was favoured by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

There were minor boundary changes to improve safety so that Te Puke Quarry Rd and No. 3 Rd will be inside the town's 50km/h boundary, rather than in the slowdown zone between the 100km/h and 50km/h areas.

And Waitangi's existing 70km/h speed zone will be extended for safety reasons to 100m east of Strang Rd.

The 80m/h speed buffer zone as traffic exits Te Puke heading towards Paengaroa has been reduced to 70km/h and extended to beyond the Waiari Bridge.

The 70km/h limit starting near the Te Puke Camping ground is unchanged. These changes were in response to public submissions to improve safety.

The changes take effect from July 1, with the council intending to revisit its decision in two years to see how it was working, unless the NZTA forces the council's hand by its National Review of Speed Limits.

The petition organised by the Te Puke Economic Development Group was signed by six per cent of the population of the Te Puke/Maketu Ward.