More than half of 19,128 responses oppose Hastings speed limit proposals

The council will hear 2405 submissions in response to the proposal to change speed limits on 77 Hastings roads. Photo / Paul Taylor

More than half of 19,128 responses to proposed speed limit changes in Hastings District
are against the proposals.

Hastings District Council will hear 120 people speak on proposed speed limit changes after 2405 submissions were received.

The first of four days of hearings started on Thursday.

Within the 2405 submissions, were 19,128 responses to the individual road and speed limit proposals.

Of the individual responses, 11,707 were opposed and 7421 were in support of changes.

One-hundred and twenty submitters have indicated they want to be heard in person.

In July this year the council proposed speed limit changes to 77 roads in the district.

The changes included both whole roads and sections of roads and mainly involved speed reductions but there were also some speed increases.

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The proposal came after the public and the NZ Transport Agency identified roads where speed reductions could potentially reduce deaths and serious injuries.

Where submitters left comments to support their position on the proposal, council officers grouped them into "general themes" to further understand and analyse the feedback.

Some of the general themes those in support noted included positive feelings about speed changes, feeling unsafe on roads due to cars overtaking or speeding, wanting speed limit consistency and that roads were recognised as high risk due to accident history.

General themes of those who opposed changes include:

- a concern that change will make things worse
- change won't make any difference
- roads needed to be improved before speed limit changes
- that there were no issues with current limits and that cyclists are the "real problem"
- speed limits should not be reduced to cater for cyclists

New Zealand police, NZTA, NZ Automobile Association, Hawke's Bay District Health Board and Napier City Council also made submissions.

Consultation included letters to properties on affected roads and adjoining side roads, letters to key stakeholders, radio and print advertising, public drop-in sessions, and extensive signage on the affected routes.