New speed limit signed but not sealed

Richard Davis is confused - and he's not the only motorist baffled by conflicting speed limits on a busy Rotorua road.

Whenever he travels into the city, the Ngongotaha business owner slows from 80km/h to 70km/h where Ngongotaha Rd becomes Fairy Springs Rd, as indicated on the road. About four weeks ago a 60km/h sign went up in that very spot but the road marker remains at 70km/h.

He hadn't noticed until yesterday when it was pointed out to him and now he's confused.

He's always relied on what was painted on the road rather than looking for signs roadside.

"You look at the road more than you look up at the sign."

The 27-year-old, who owns Ngongotaha's One Stop Parts store, drives to and from Ngongotaha every day for work.

He has all the speed limits between Ngongotaha and Malfroy Rd memorised and doubts a lot of people would have noticed the change.

"I thought it was 70 because it just has been for so long."

Mr Davis wasn't the only one who had not noticed the new speed limit. Lee Wilson, Alan Turner and Tania Davis all admitted they hadn't noticed the change either.

Andrew Thompson, 20, lives at Ngongotaha and travels to Waiariki Institute of Technology every day.

The new sign caught his eye because it was a bit newer looking but he reckoned people could be easily confused if they also saw 70 on the road.

"If you're new to town and you just drive in and see 60 up top and 70 on the road it's not exactly a good image," he said.

Rotorua District Council's state highway manager Kevin Thompson said the official speed limit for the area was now 60km/h and the road marking would be changed in about a week.

It was changed because the distance between the 70km/h and 80km/h limits in the area were too short.

The alteration is one of four recent speed limit changes in the Rotorua district.

* Amohau St has been increased from 50 to 60km/h;

* Old Taupo Rd between Pererika St and Malfroy Rd has increased from 50 to 60km/h;

* Hamurana Rd where it meets the Tauranga Direct Rd has dropped from 100 to 80km/h.

Mr Thompson said the road markings were only a guide and the red signs showed the official speed limits.

Speed limit changes suggested by members of the public were reviewed once a year and changed if deemed appropriate.

Acting Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ed Van Den Broek said police had not had any problems with the latest speed limit changes.

However, he said if there were conflicting indicators, there would be some leniency given to drivers, depending on how fast they were going.