‘Nagging has worked’: Speed limit drop for Methven

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Deputy mayor Liz McMillan says she is pleased the speed limit will drop on a section of highway through Methven after years of “nagging”.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi announced that the speed limit for a section of State Highway 77 at the northern end of Methven will be reduced to 60kph by the end of July.

“The nagging has worked,” McMillan said.

“It has been a bit of a long process but [I'm] really happy as the community wanted this, so it’s a really good outcome.

“It’s going to make a huge difference.”

The speed limit from Racecourse Ave to past Holmes Rd, covering 600m, will reduce from 100kph to 60kph by the end of July.

McMillan and other Methven residents launched a petition calling for the speed reduction in 2021.

NZTA had initially proposed a reduction to 80kph but the Methven community asked for it to be lower.

NZTA’s technical assessment supported this feedback and a reduced speed limit to match the road environment.

The community felt the 100kph speed limit no longer fitted the stretch of SH77 that carries traffic heading to the Mt Hutt Ski Field, the Ōpuke thermal pools, and Methven Racecourse.

A growing number of people were using the shared pathway next to the highway to walk or bike to the pools, racecourse, or the walking track at the end of town, McMillan said.

“It’s going to make it a lot safer and it’s good timing that it’s happening in winter with the traffic increasing. It’s a busy road anyway but in winter it’s even busier.”

NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said there will be a campaign to advertise the new speed limit in the lead-up to its introduction and Police will be in the area in the days following “to remind drivers of the change”.

Feedback on speed limits north of the township showed unanimous support for a reduction further than was initially proposed, he said.

Last week, the Minister of Transport released a proposed new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits that is out for public consultation and planned to come into force by the end of the year.

NZTA is working under the 2022 version of the Rule for the Methven SH77 speed limit change, but the change is also consistent with the intent of the incoming 2024 Rule.

When the new rule comes into effect, there could be more speed changes for Canterbury highways, including a variable reduced speed zone for Methven schools on SH77.