Speed limits on rural roads rise after U-turn

Speed limits will rise on some Hastings roads. PHOTO / WARREN BUCKLAND

Speed limits on several rural Hastings roads will revert to 100km/h after the district council yesterday approved changes overturning the introduction of a number of controversial 80km/h limits.

The reduced speed areas were brought in earlier this year in a bid to improve safety on rural roads and followed a consultative process begun in late 2013.

But there was an outcry from drivers once the lower limits came into effect, prompting the council to hold a second round of consultation which culminated with two days of hearings held earlier this month.

Yesterday's meeting ratified recommendations from the hearings committee to return the speed limit to 100km/h on a number of the roads.

However, councillors went further, increasing the limit on two additional sections of road - Brookfields Rd and Farndon Rd - which had not been flagged for a rise by the committee.

Councillors and Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule were split on whether the two roads should be included in the move to increase speed limits, voting 7-5 in favour of the additions.

Councillor Simon Nixon said the additional sections of road had been assessed as being suitable for 100km/h limits.

But councillor Tania Kerr said the Farndon Rd community strongly supported the lower 80km/h limit.

Councillor Rod Heaps said submitters "wanted a lot more change than what we've given them" and increasing limits on the two roads went "a little way to appease those submitters".

Later in the meeting he was the only councillor to vote against the total package of speed limit changes, saying they did not reflect what the community had told the council it wanted, which was not to have 80km/h limits.

"We took out some roads [from the list continue to have an 80km/h limit] and I'm very pleased the amended areas of Farndon and Brookfields Rds have been passed, but in regards to the rest I don't believe we've done our job properly or listened to our submitters correctly."