Speeds to be lowered outside Ruapehu schools but council to foot bill

Speed limits outside all Ruapehu's urban schools, including Taumarunui's Turaki Primary, need to drop to 30km/h by May 1.

Speed limits will soon be reduced around Ruapehu schools but implementing them could cost ratepayers $132,000.

A report from council graduate policy officer Braedon Peters said the Government required speed limits for urban roads outside school gates to be lowered by May 1 to a variable speed limit (VSL) of 30km/h during school time.

Signage must be installed by July 1.

There are 15 urban schools within the framework, all of which will be consulted next month.

Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton told the Chronicle the council could “really only afford a little bit of A4″.

“Handing down legislation without the pūtea [money] is not uncommon, with local government expected to pick up the tab,” he said.

“It reflects on the ratepayer once again and when you’ve got a really limited budget, it means a lot.”

At a meeting this week, council senior policy analyst Todd Livingstone said there was “no discretion” when it came to the signs.

“Every school must have them,” he said.

“That $132,000 is a high-level estimate - roughly $1000 a sign.”

Because of the cost, the council plans to install static signs rather than electronic ones.

Peters' report said electronic VSL signs were easier to see and harder to ignore but cost more than $10,000 per installation.

Councillor David “Rabbit” Nottage said most people’s eyes were “only painted on” so signs had to be clear.

He suggested painting roads in addition to signs.

In Whanganui, speed limit reductions outside schools were signed off last April, with some rural roads to be reduced from 100km/h to 30km/h.

There are six rural schools in the Ruapehu district.

The Government requires speed limit reductions to 60km/h or below on rural roads before July 1 next year.

Peters’ report said the council would progress that part of the work in the 2025/26 financial year after analysis and community consultation.

Kirton said he supported the speed reductions, particularly past rural sites such as Mananui School on State Highway 4, which is being used as a detour while SH1 is closed for repairs.

“That closure is making speeds more topical in our area at the moment,” he said.

“It’s stretching patience around schools and other hotspots in the community.”

Earlier this month, Kirton called on NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to lower the speed on SH4 at Horopito from 100km/h to 70km/h while the detour was in place but NZTA said it had no plans to.

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.