Reduced speed preferred over barriers
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
A 60kph speed limit has been proposed on State Highway 1, between Pegasus and Waikuku, in preference to wire rope barriers.
The Waimakariri District Council has agreed to back a request from local residents for a speed reduction, as part of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Woodend safety improvements.
The request followed a meeting last week with Pegasus and Waikuku residents and Waka Kotahi director of regional relationships James Caygill.
Waka Kotahi had proposed installing a wire rope barrier, known as ‘‘a cheese grater’’, on the 1.5km stretch of road between Pegasus and Waikuku, which has an 80kph speed limit, as part of the proposed safety improvements.
‘‘The feedback we received at the meeting was that people are not in favour of wire rope barriers on that stretch of road,’’ Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said.
‘‘The residents suggested a reduction of speed and asked if that would negate the need for wire rope barriers.’’
Residents said the wire rope barrier would cause inconvenience as it would prevent them from turning and restrict access to their properties.
Gordon was drafting a letter in support of the request, with input from his fellow councillors and Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell.
He said similar concerns had been raised by residents and business owners located between Woodend and Pine Acres, Kaiapoi, to the south.
‘‘Ultimately what will make a difference is a [Woodend] bypass.’’
Caygill said the meeting was a good chance to hear the specific concerns of concerned residents.
He said several issues were raised, including power pole positions, driveway access points, speed and the necessity of the wire rope barrier.
‘‘Their concerns are being fed back to the project team as we continue work on the design for SH1 Saltwater Creek to Cam River.’’
Robbie Brine said he had attended 11 road deaths on SH1 between Smith St, Kaiapoi, and Saltwater Creek, north of the Ashley River, in his capacity as a police officer.
‘‘I don’t like the cheese graters. They may save lives, but with the aesthetics and the inconvenience they cause, it’s just not worth it.’’
He said reducing the speed limit would add only ‘‘a few seconds to a car journey’’, while saving lives.
Deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said he was opposed to both options.
‘‘We’re not going to solve it with a band aid. We need to find a real solution.’’
Waimakariri District Council roading manager Joanne McBride said it would be difficult to enforce a 60kph speed limit as the 1.5km
stretch of road was through a rural area.
Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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