Masterton District Council is set to adopt its speed management plan at the end of this month, following consultation with the community.
But some changes to the draft plan seem likely following a recent deliberation meeting.
Councillors have asked staff to review the implementation of variable speed limits outside all schools, retaining the current speed limit on Lees Pakaraka Rd, and reducing the speed on Te Ore Ore Bideford Rd to 60kmh until just past Te Ore Ore Marae.
Council staff are set to report back on the implications of the proposed changes before the plan is adopted on June 28.
The speed management plan outlines a 10-year-vision and three-year implementation plan for “a whole of network approach to speed management” and involves a changed speed limit on high-risk sections of Masterton roads, as well as outside schools and marae.
It follows Waka Kotahi’s speed management guide and aims to provide safer roads.
The first priority in the plan is reducing speed limits around schools and marae.
By 2027, the council will be required by law to have reduced speed limits in the vicinity of all schools to a maximum of 30kmh in urban areas and 60kmh in rural areas.
The draft plan proposed permanent speed reductions within residential neighbourhoods or on no-exit roads, and variable speed limits outside schools on through-roads with higher speed limits.
However, at Wednesday’s deliberation meeting, a majority of councillors asked that variable limits be used for all schools.
The draft speed management plan attracted 83 submissions: 41 agreed with the council’s approach to speed management, 40 did not agree, and two both agreed and disagreed.
The key themes from the submissions were: General support for speed management on roads around schools and marae; a lack of support for proposed changes on high-risk roads; concerns around enforcement of speed limits; and support for infrastructure that improves road safety.
The council’s speed management plan is required to be reviewed every three years, so there will be further opportunities to review and refine the proposed changes to high-risk roads in 2026. Changes to these routes are proposed to begin in 2027.
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If everyone drove to the road conditions there wouldn’t be any problems but people don’t, then they wonder why there’s accidents
Who defines Low Risk v High Risk? To me an example of high risk is the back road Carterton to Martinborough and could be 80km. Low risk is the Highway Greytown to Featherston and should be 100km. One is windy, the other straight with ample clear vision. Common sense appears to be lacking in highly paid consultants who live out of the district.
Have we a bypass plan for heavy vehicles and others 🤔 from Featherston to north of Masterton for safety. Drivers that don’t need to travel through Featherston, Greytown, Carterton and Masterton will reduce road wear make schools safer and pedestrians safe plus cyclists. That’s a ten year plan for NZTA and councils to think 🤔 about.