Speed limits: Consultation opens for stretch of State Highway 3 in Whanganui

The speed limit was dropped to 50km/h under the previous Labour Government. Photo / Mike Tweed

The community can now have its say on the speed limit for part of State Highway 3/Great North Road in Whanganui.

As part of the Government’s automatic reversal plan, about 770m of road on St John’s Hill from about 200m north of Tirimoana Place to south of Turere Pl, was set to return to 70km/h from 50km/h by July 1.

However, lobbying from the community and Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe forced a public consultation period instead.

That is now open and runs until May 14 at nzta.govt.nz/new-speed-reviews.

Tripe said he was pleased the automatic reversal had been paused but there was still work to do.

“This is a good example of the community coming together being able to influence change,” he said.

“It’s not a fait accompli at all, though.

“We need to provide submissions to ensure it remains at 50km/h.”

Consultation on raising the speed limit back to 100km/h from 80km/h on SH3 from north of Blueskin Rd to north of Tirimoana Pl finished on March 13, with a final decision to be made by July 1.

Both sections of SH3 had their speed limits lowered under the previous Labour Government, following years of public lobbying.

Of the 38 stretches of road announced for automatic speed limit reversal, 16 have now gone to consultation, including two sections of SH35 in Gisborne and parts of SH1 in the Far North.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop has previously said the automatic reversals were chosen because they were easy, long straight stretches of state highways.

Tripe said he had been contacted by a member of the public this week, who said the 770m section could be dangerous even with the 50km/h speed limit.

“I’m not against speeding up stretches of road where it makes sense but, on this particular stretch, it does not.

“We’ve got this far, let’s keep going.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.