Confusing speed limits spark backlash, cost Far North $800,000

Kerikeri resident Doug Galbraith said the speed limit drop along Inlet Rd was 'ill-conceived'. Photo / Jenny Ling

The Far North District Council [FNDC] has been slammed for wasting money on “terribly confusing” speed limits.

The council reduced the speed limits on 300 roads in the wider Bay of Islands area, knowing a Government review to reverse them was coming.

Now, the council is only reversing the speed limits on six roads but locals say because some of the remaining ones were lowered so drastically many residents are being ticketed.

The council is refusing to reverse speed limits on any more roads, saying it consulted with the public on all of the changes, and the reversals only applied to “urban connector roads”.

FNDC is currently reversing lowered speed limits on six roads in the Bay of Islands and 25 roads outside 15 schools throughout the district.

The speed limits on more than 250 remaining roads will go unchanged, which has infuriated many residents and business owners.

Northland MP Grant McCallum said the Government had made it clear it was reviewing the rules around speed limits.

He said the cost to Far North ratepayers has ended up being $300,000 and $500,000 to taxpayers because FNDC ignored the request from then Transport Minister Simeon Brown for councils to pause bringing in speed management plans, which lowered speed limits.

That was because Brown flagged that the coalition Government planned to reverse mandated blanket speed limit reductions introduced under Labour.

“All they had to do was pause and see what the rules were going to be to save money,” McCallum said.

FNDC confirmed NZTA is providing $503,000 for the changes but could not say how much ratepayers would pay.

The Northern Advocate has reported that the total cost would be $800,000.

The Government’s Land Transport Rule required speed limits reduced since January 2020 to be reversed by July 1.

Knowing this, the FNDC voted to push ahead with speed reductions on 300 roads in the wider Bay of Islands area.

However, apart from roads outside the schools, which will have variable speed limits applied, it is reversing only six.

Franklin St, Ōpua, Hone Heke Rd and Landing Rd in Kerikeri, Joyces Rd and School Rd in Paihia, and Waipapa Rd, between Edkins Rd and Landing Rd will all be returned to 50km/h.

The 50km speed limit along Kerikeri Rd looks set to stay despite a Government ruling. Photo / Jenny Ling

McCallum said Kerikeri Rd and Inlet Rd, which were reduced from 80km/h to 50km/h, were causing contention.

While Kerikeri Rd could be left at 50km/h because of changing land use and new subdivisions, Inlet Rd should be reversed, he said.

“80km is way too slow on Inlet Rd.

“They’re [council] saying they’re not going to change it because the speed limit was changed before 2020 – that’s rubbish.”

Retiree Doug Galbraith, who has lived near Inlet Rd for more than 40 years, agreed.

Galbraith said the sudden drop to 50km/h was “too dramatic”.

The road has always been 80km/h, he said, apart from back in the day, when it was 100km/h.

“I could have lived with 60 or 70km.

“But when you’re diddling along at 50, it seems like ‘how long is this going to take’?

“There’s no safety or logical benefit; Inlet Rd has no history of crashes.”

Kerikeri Business Association chairwoman Sarah Curtis said feedback from businesses was mixed.

While some said the speed reductions made it safer, there had been comments around drivers overtaking in places that aren’t safe, she said.

Curtis said more consultation was needed.

She believed conversations with people who lived and worked in the areas could have avoided problems sparked by the changes.

“It also seems like they were rushed through ... and this is now resulting in a cost to rate and taxpayers.”

FNDC head of infrastructure Tanya Proctor said there were no plans to review or reverse additional speed limits.

The Government rule only applied to urban connector roads, she said.

“The council consulted with the public on every speed limit change decision that was made as part of this process.

“Using the Government’s rule, speed limit reversals only apply to six urban connector roads and 25 roads outside schools in the Far North.”

Councillor Ann Court said less than 1% of the community made submissions in support of lowering speed limits.

She believed it was “a profligate waste of precious taxpayer and ratepayer resources”.

“The inconsistent speed limits around town are causing problems; they’re terribly confusing for the driver.

“They’re getting tickets because it is confusing.”

Court said it was “bonkers” that speed limits on Kerikeri and Inlet roads were not included.

“We need to balance the risk against not inconveniencing people.

“Inlet Rd is wide and straight.

“People are getting ticketed, not because they’re criminals, but because it’s a road designed and built for 80km.”

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and animal welfare issues.