Brookfields Rd is among the individual roads that are having speed limits reviewed. Photo / Paul Taylor
Brookfields Rd is among the individual roads that are having speed limits reviewed. Photo / Paul Taylor
Members of the public will now be able to have their say on the Hastings District Council speed limit review with the six-week formal consultation process beginning on Monday.
Last month the council received recommendations to review the speed limits of 70 roads in the district.
Speed limit changes applyto either sections of the roads or the entire road.
The majority of the changes are lowering speed limits by 20km/h but other changes include increasing speed limits by 10km/h, such as part of Chatham Rd being increased from 50km/h to 60km/h.
In the first two-weeks of consultation the council is holding public drop-in sessions. On Tuesday a session covering the south of Havelock North and Havelock North CBD road reviews will be held from 5-7pm at the Havelock North Function Centre.
On Wednesday the Cape Coast and Tukituki road reviews will be covered at Te Awanga Community Hall from 5-7pm.
The roads which will be impacted can be broadly clustered into the above locations.
On Thursday at the Ellwood Function Centre at the same time, the Waipatu and Pakowhai road reviews will be covered and the following week, on Wednesday, August 12, the Hastings South road reviews will be covered at the council chambers foyer, also from 5-7pm.
In the coming weeks drop-in sessions for Flaxmere/Omahu and Twyford will also be held.
The public can make submissions on the proposal online at www.myvoicemychoice.co.nz or in person at the council buildings and the Flaxmere, Hastings and Havelock North public libraries.
Submissions will close on September 14.
The speed review has been proposed after the council received public requests to consider further changes following previous reviews in 2018 and 2019.
The council is also reviewing roads identified by NZTA where speed reductions could make a difference in preventing injuries and deaths.
It also seeks to align Hastings with neighbouring councils' speed limit change proposals and account for road and land usage changes due to development, the council says.
"The new proposed speeds are considered to be safe and appropriate for the roads or sections of roads identified but the views of the community will be sought as is required under the bylaw-making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 and the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017."
The council will also be consulting affected parties, other organisations and adjacent territorial authorities.
