Editorial: Lowering speed limits

New speed restrictions are on hold, but Whanganui's council will be back next month and will in all likelihood lower limits on a number of our roads then.

Many people will welcome the reduced limits - like most of the 86 individuals and organisations which made submissions mainly in support of the proposed bylaw changes.

Others though may feel a bigger problem is not from excessive speeds, but from drivers who already dawdle around at well below allowed limits, and seem oblivious to the frustrations they cause other road users.

What citizens think about road speeds is important.

But more important is data.

For each road where council is considering lowering the speed limit should it have essential facts, such as the numbers of accidents, if any, and how many of those accidents were caused by the speed limit being too high?

Information like average speeds, road design and possible "calming" options such as raised crossings, would also be useful in making an informed, rational decision.

None of this information appeared to be available to councillors considering the bylaw at Tuesday's Statutory Management committee meeting, nor to our knowledge to the public and/or submitters.

Highway speeds are not set by the consensus of those who take time to submit their thoughts and preferences. It should be no different with local roads.

It is understood that the recommendations took into account information contained in national road safety guidelines, but what those guidelines contained was not disclosed.

It would be prudent when councillors reconvene to consider the bylaw again next month, that they have access to the full facts.

Quality decisions, after all, are based on quality information, not just the whims of submitters.