Christmas comes early for fans of speed reductions

An 80km/h section of road is among parts of a state highway being reduced to 50km/h for the festive period. Photo / Peter de Graaf, RNZ

By Checkpoint RNZ

The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is pumping the brakes and reducing speed limits on several sections of a popular holiday route in time for Christmas.

Four sections of State Highway 25 will drop to 50km/h from 80 or 70km/h.

NZTA said there were 982 submissions on the speed review in the Coromandel region, and the majority identified benefits in lowering the speed limits.

The agency said the new speed limits will kick in before the summer holiday peak.

Almost 2km of SH25 between Thames and Tararu is going down to 50km/h. Linda Davidson owned a bed and breakfast on that stretch and told Checkpoint the current speed limit of 70km/h created noise issues.

“It’s too loud for us. The roads along here, because they’re old miners’ cottages, they’re really close to the road... when cars are going past at 70km/h, it’s just outrageous.

“It’s so loud that if it was a party, it would be shut down.”

Despite her B&B having double glazing, she said there were still problems.

“In peak times particularly, people complain about the noise.”

Davidson said the noise got so bad in busy periods she had to close the B&B between Christmas and New Year.

She said after seeing multiple accidents and many close calls, she was confident the reduction would make a significant difference.

“There’s a big reserve across the road from us and it’s really popular. When people are coming out of there it’s really unsafe, people come around the corner and hit people coming out of the reserve.

“[The speed reductions] mean that we can open up our windows in summer, easy to get in and out of our properties and safer on the road for everyone.”

Davidson said she felt great about the change and hoped it would help keep the “gobsmackingly beautiful” area safe for residents and visitors.

Three other 1km stretches of SH25 will also have speed limits reduced.

Two sections of road near Kūaotunu will drop to 50km/h from 70km/h. A 1km stretch at Wharekaho from near Leah Rd to near Harbour Lights Tce will also be reduced from 80km/h to 50km/h.

A section of SH1 near Lake Taupō was also getting a speed reduction with a section of road either side of Motutere Holiday Park dropping from 100km/h to 50km/h.

– RNZ