Whanganui: Transport agency blunder in new speed zone leaves motorists confused

The sign only metres away from the new speed limit. Photo / Lewis Gardner

When lower speed limits were introduced near Westmere in Whanganui just before Christmas, an old sign left up in the changeover left the potential for confusion.

An old speed advisory sign was left up on State Highway 3 encouraging motorists to slow down to 95km/h around a slight bend.

The only problem was that the corner is in the new 80km/h zone, meaning the speed recommendation was well over the legal speed limit.

In a statement to the Chronicle, a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency spokesperson confirmed that they were aware of the mistake, and that it would be rectified as soon as possible.

"Unfortunately this 95km/h curve speed advisory sign was missed by the contractors when replacing signage," the spokesperson said.

"This advisory sign will be covered over [on Sunday] and removed as soon as possible, to ensure there is no confusion for motorists."

The new speed limits came into effect on December 18, after the New Zealand Transport Agency spent over a year consulting with local residents on the changes.

When first announced, NZTA said that the new limits were necessary after the growth of the city, meaning housing developments were encroaching the 100km/h area.

According to NZTA, there were 21 crashes on the stretch of road between 2009 and 2018. In those accidents, two people died and three were seriously injured.