Rotorua moteliers back lower limit

Fenton St moteliers Lance Elliott, (left), Sheryll O'Dwyer and Toni Stafford want the council to reduce the speed limit on the road to 50km/h from the Sala St roundabout. Photo / Stephen Parker

Safety major concern for association

Rotorua's Fenton St moteliers are right behind a council proposal to lower the speed limit along the main drag into the city from 60km/h to 50km/h.

Rotorua district councillors heard submissions to the council's proposed Speed Limit Bylaw Review yesterday, after receiving 43 submissions in total.

In its submission to the council, the Rotorua Association of Motels said safety was its major concern for vehicles turning on to Fenton St.

"More importantly the speed reduction would allow pedestrians, especially elderly pedestrians, more opportunity to cross the road safely."

The association also said the noise from vehicles travelling along the chip-sealed road disturbed their customers.

Golden Glow Motel's Lance Elliott said another issue was tourists would often drive down Fenton St at a much slower speed looking for a place to stay which would cause problems for other motorists, especially when Fenton St became one lane at each of the roundabouts.

But, the Automobile Association and a number of other submitters opposed the reduction saying Fenton St was a major arterial route into the city, roundabouts slowed traffic down and Fenton St was wide and straight enough to allow plenty of visibility.

Also discussed at the meeting were changes to speed limits along Tarawera Rd, Hamurana Rd, Otaramarae Rd and Wharenui Rd.

In his submission Lynmore resident Ian Mexted-Dykes said there was little point in changing the speed limit along Tarawera Rd from 70km/h to 50km/h from the Te Ngae Rd roundabout to just past Lynmore Ave. "I have lived in Lynmore for 26 years and can't remember any major accidents on the stretch of road.

"I think it's ridiculous to put the speed limit down to 50km/h unless it's just revenue

gathering."

Another Lynmore resident, Vivian Cooper, said she wanted the limit reduced to 50km/h from the Te Ngae roundabout right up to Forest Pl.

She said many people crossed the road regularly and traffic usually travelled faster than 70km/h, especially when travelling down the hill toward Te Ngae Rd.

Councillors will make their final decisions on speed limits at another meeting on October 8.

Proposed changes:

• Fenton St: From 60km/h to 50km/h (Sala St to Malfroy Rd)

• Tarawera Rd: From 70km/h to 50km/h (from Te Ngae Rd roundabout to just past Lynmore Ave)

• Tarawera Rd, from 100km/h to 50km/h (Tikitapu, from DoC entrance to just past Okareka Loop Rd)

• Hamurama Rd, from 100km/h to 80km/h (200m west of Kaska Rd to 100m east of Te Waerenga Rd)

• Otaramarae Rd, from 100km/h to 50km/h (From Maniatutu Rd to 1km south of Vercoe Rd)

• Wharenui Rd, from 100km/h to 50km/h (to end of Porikapa Rd)