Taupō truckie Bryan Smith says he's had a gutsful of Waka Kotahi's decision to reduce the speed limit on the Napier-Taupō highway to 80kmh saying it's the "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff".
Smith said he'd continue to fight the New Zealand Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi's decision even though he thinks the agency has already made up its mind.
Late last year, Waka Kotahi finalised its decision to reduce speed limits on State Highway 5 from Napier to Taupō from 100kmh to 80 kmh between Rangitaiki (1140m southeast of Matea Road) to Esk Valley (110m west of Waipunga Road).
After receiving 1800 submissions, Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships Linda Stewart said feedback had been considered. Work on shoulder widening, wide centrelines and side barriers would begin by late 2022.
“In the meantime, however, the most effective tool we have at our disposal now to dramatically improve safety for everyone who uses this road is to replace the unsafe speed limit of 100kmh with a much safer speed limit of 80kmh.
“That won’t be popular with everyone, but it’s the right thing to do, and our priority is that everyone gets to their destination safely,” she said.
However, Smith who owns and operates Self Loader Logging Taupō and is an executive member of the Log Transport Safety Council, said 80kmh signs had already been erected.
“We run an average of 25 to 30 trips per day to the port in Napier, so it's a significant piece of infrastructure for us, and we struggle to find any sense in lowering the speed limit to 80kmh.
“Yes, speed is a factor when people crash but we'd sooner avoid those accidents altogether.”
Smith said the state of the road was terrible and would like to see his road user charges of almost $2 million a year to be spent on resurfacing and safety measures.
Between 2010 and 2019, 16 people were killed and 75 were seriously injured in crashes on the highway.
Since December 2019, a further nine people have died in six fatal crashes – all but one between Rangitaiki and Esk Valley.
Taupō Mayor David Trewavas said the plans were “over the top” and felt the majority of the road should stay at 100kmh.
“We worry about the economy and getting goods to market. Then there are those people getting frustrated with the slow drivers and ending up taking risks.
“We are looking to push back at those plans and represent our side at a meeting in Napier next week,” he said.
Trewavas said Waka Kotahi should concentrate their efforts on improving the road and upgrading infrastructure.
“We want a pragmatic, sensible decision and I would like to think they are listening but we'll have to wait and see.”
Taupō MP Louise Upston said it was a major problem for communities at both ends of the highway.
“It's extremely frustrating but not surprising and instead of investing in and upgrading an important part of our state highway network and have taken the lazy option and just gone with the speed reduction.”
Upston said the quality of the road was an “absolute joke” and funding should be set aside for a full upgrade.
“Where there are dangerous corners and bends speed restrictions can be useful, but to put a blanket speed restriction on the whole of the highway is ridiculous.”
Upston said in August 2020 the National Party pledged $300 million to upgrade the highway, along with other projects in the region including the Napier to Wairoa road and the four-laning of parts of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway.
Credit: Stuff.co.nz
