Returning speed limits on Rotorua roads to higher speeds could spell trouble, residents say, following the Government announcement that it will reverse or consult on speed changes implemented since 2020.
Rotorua Mayor, Tania Tapsell, says she would be reluctant to see the limit on State Highway 5 south of Rotorua back at 100km/h without Government investment into road safety, and a former council candidate is planning a petition against the proposal.
The reversals are for specific road categories and in the Bay of Plenty largely relate to Rotorua, and will happen between now and July 1.
Transport Minister, Chris Bishop, says the changes would make it easier for people and freight to move as quickly and efficiently as possible, and would drive economic growth and productivity.
“Reversing the speed limit reductions where safe to do so is also part of the National-ACT coalition agreement.”
Speed limit changes in Rotorua were made in October 2022 following consultation.
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said at the time there had been 629 crashes, six people killed and 26 seriously injured on the roads between 2009 and 2018.
Community feedback included concern limits were unsafe on parts of SH5 and SH30, and requests for more consistent and some slower speeds.
Rotorua roads are included in the 49 sections of state highway under public consultation as to whether the speeds should stay as they are or return to the higher limit.
Included is a proposal to return the limit on SH5 south of Rotorua from 80km/h to 100km/h.
In 2023, both lanes of the 795-metre stretch south of Old Taupō Road had an annual average daily traffic of 16,631 vehicles, including 26.7% heavy vehicles.
In 2022 NZTA said concerns included speed between the Hemo Road roundabout and just south of the Waipa State Mill Road: “People told us it felt unsafe as there’s a blind corner and it’s busy with logging trucks and cars coming in and out of Waipa State Mill Road.”
Mountain Bike Rotorua Director, Takurua Mutu, did not support raising the limit back to 100km/h on the busy stretch; “There’s a whole industrial park going in there. Beyond that, it’s the hub for the third-busiest mountain bike park in the world. I don’t think it’s a very good idea.”
Historical data shows at least 1000 people a day enter the forest via the main bridge in Waipa during peak summer months.
Timber company, Red Stag, is based at Waipa. General Manager, Tim Rigter, says it had supported lowering the speed on that stretch.
Visibility drops with the blind spot and having it at 80km/h “made sense”, he says.
Asked if dropping the speed limit had helped, he says it was “certainly safer” but found residents took a while to get used to it.
Concerned Rotorua resident and former council candidate, Ryan Gray, says he spoke with businesses, mountain bikers and others about the proposed speed limit increase. There is “massive concern” for what was already “a dangerous and tricky intersection” used by mountain bikers, walkers, families, tourists and heavy trucks going to the mill, he says.
Mr Gray is putting together a petition calling for the limit to stay the same. He says while some of the proposed changes are “fine”, this one is dangerous and could result in “injuries and potentially deaths”.
Mr Gray says there will always be driver mistakes and it is better if they make them going slower and potentially avoiding an accident.
