Fatal crash in Wairarapa renews push for speed limit reduction

By Mary Argue of RNZ

The speed limit on a stretch of road that claimed the life of a cyclist in Wairarapa has been under scrutiny for years, with a mayoral hopeful adamant change is now urgent.

A 2018 Wairarapa Wine Growers submission to the South Wairarapa District Council’s long-term plan – seen by RNZ – urged the council to slash speed limits around Martinborough’s wineries.

One person died and three more were seriously injured when a car collided with a shared-bike on Pūruatanga Rd on Thursday morning. British tourists are believed to be among those injured.

Medical paraphernalia, vehicle debris and tree branches could be seen strewn across the scene once the police cordon was removed that evening.

The 100km/h road – at the heart of the town’s wine tourism industry and the scene of the fatal crash – was among a handful of roads the Wairarapa Wine Group argued should be dropped to 50km/h, in a submission to the council seven years ago.

The submission also called for a cycle and pedestrian lane along Pūruatanga Rd, and wanted the council to seek funding from Tourism New Zealand and the Government to make it happen.

Among the road safety demands was the request for additional signage to boost awareness among the community and visitors – “this needs to be in place by September 2018”.

The site of the accident where a car collided with a shared-bike on Pūruatanga Road, Martinborough, Wairarapa. Photo / RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The group said it was working to get the wider community, wineries and cycle operators on board with the road safety campaign, including reiterating the message to cyclists to always wear helmets.

South Wairarapa mayoral hopeful Fran Wilde said the crash was devastating and a major blow to a region that relied on tourism.

She said reducing the speed limit should be looked at “immediately” because all it took was a second’s inattention for tragedy to strike.

“I don’t think it’s a sort of issue that needs to take a long time.... there’s no need to drag it out for years.”

Wilde said a cycleway was expensive and unnecessary if the speed limit was to be dropped.

“Bugger the cycleway, just put them all together and slow them down.”

Martinborough Community Board members paid tribute to those involved in the crash at a meeting on Thursday evening, but said it was too early and too raw to get involved in speed limit discussions.

- RNZ