Speed level massacre on local roads

Travelling with friends through New Zealand hanging out of the window

 It’s called the “Draft Interim Speed Management Plan” and its 145 pages set out how and why south and central Wairarapa should significantly reduce road speed limits to help meet the national Road Safety Strategy.

That strategy, “Road to Zero,” promotes a vision that “no death or serious injury whiule travelling on our roads is acceptable,” says P2 of the draft report. 

It was included on the South Wairarapa District Council’s agenda for its June 7 meeting.

The Waka Kotahi, NZ Transport Agency, report sets out the reasons for introducing “high quality speed management plans” throughout the region  – plans which see current speed limits like 100 kph, 70 kph and 50 kph disappear from most of the urban and rural roading networks.

These current speed limits, following public consultation, likely will be replaced by maximum limits of 80kph or 60 kph on many rural roads, and 40kph or 30 kph on urban streets, as set oui in the report.

The current limits of 100 kph, 70 kph and 50 kph all but disappear from the 145 pages of planning detail.

Waka Kotahi said it’s working in partnership with local government and the safety sector to implement the “right mix of (road) safety solutions for each region.”   

The report notes that speed affects the severity and outcome of every road crash, determining whether anyone is killed, injured or is unharmed.

It warns that of the current “posted speed limits … over 85% of the speed limits in New Zealand are above the safe and appropriate limits.” 

Driving over the current speed limits contributes to about 60% of fatal crashes country-wide, while 71% of injury crashes occur above the safe level. 

In the 10 years 2012 – 2021 some 14 people died on local roads (8 in South Wairarapa, 6 in Carterton). 

Alcohol, loss of control, inappropriate speed and poor driver observation were the key factors. A further 134 serious injuries occurred across the two districts in the 10 years.

Waka Kotahi researchers found that 91% of the crashes involving “inappropriate speed” over the decade happened in areas with a 100 kph speed limit – almost entirely removed under the proposed new limits.

Some 91% of those inappropriate speed crashes involved only one vehicle, while 73% happened during daytime.  

It spells out speed level recommendations for almost all local streets and roads, identifies special zones around schools (14 primary, one secondary) marae (five), and other places.

It also spells out the inputs used to determine what is a safe and appropriate speed limit:

– speed thresholds for “crash survivability;”

– a framework of street categories that reflects “the movement and place functions of a street or road;”  

– a risk rating system or methodology for assessing road safety infrastructure risk;

– steps to implement safety infrastructure to reduce the risk of harm for people outside vehicles. 

The SWDC notes it has focused on speed around schools, marae, and areas with high numbers of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. 

However, its proposed speed safety changes cover every street and road in the urban and rural areas.

Speed limit changes are a legal process which requires formal consultation. The report notes the local consultation “might have an impact” on final decisions. 

The draft said consultation opened on Friday 23 June, and ends Sunday 30 July. 

See Report:

https://swdc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/DCAgendaPack7June23-part-1-1.pdf

(2. Draft Carterton and South Wairarapa Interim Speed management Plan Pages 151-296)