Speed limit at Westmere

Motorists will have to get used to some highly visible traffic calming devices around Westmere School from the New Year.

The Wanganui District Council was successful with its application to a NZ Transport Agency "rural schools variable speed limit trial".

The school had been asking council for some time to do something about traffic speeding past their grounds on the corner of Rapanui Rd and Francis Rd.

Three illuminated signs will be installed - two in Rapanui Rd and the other in Francis Rd - warning motorists they are entering a 70km/h zone. The speed limit on both roads is usually 100km/h.

Rui Leitao, council's roading engineer, told the infrastructure and property committee that NZTA signing off on the project meant the roads around the school would be legally gazetted as 70km/h zones during school time and anyone breaking those speed limits can be fined.

Mr Leitao said the signs will cost about $25,000 in total with 72 per cent of the cost carried by the NZTA.

It is the second school in the district to get the variable speed limit signs. The same signs will go up either side of Kai Iwi School on SH3.

Bill Greening, Westmere School principal, was at the committee meeting yesterday and said the council deserved a "gigantic thank you" from his school community.