“It is unfortunate we are here to do what we have already done” South Wairarapa District Councillor Pip Maynard said as a meeting approved a proposal to reconsult on the district’s speed reduction plans.
Central government made the second-time-round community consultation a legal requirement after it canned all earlier approvals for speed reductions, lifted speed limits nationwide and then demanded districts reconsider all their planned and already-approved speed reductions.
Maynard told the Strategy Working Committee she was “frustrated” with the repetition and spoke of “consultation fatigue and community frustration” at the time and cost of redoing the work.
Senior council manager Tim Langley commended the more than 100 citizens who responded to a Martinborough Community Board petition to support SWDC CEO Janice Smith seeking “to get some change” in the speed levels issue by approaching NZTA to seek a way of implementing the already-completed limits plan.
But Langley advised what was legally needed was “a reconsultation – not a fresh consult,” hinting that not all the prior work had been wasted.
“We will be making it clear to the public that we will be picking up where we left off. People need to know their voice is welcome and will be heard…. We will try to make this process as efficient as we can for the public.”
“This is very, very important to the public. I do believe this is something they want us to act on quickly,” he told councillors.
Maynard noted that the latest iteration of the speed changes had omitted speed cuts outside Hau Ariki and Kohunui Marae, and sought assurance speed lowering on those access roads would be included.
Councillor Colin Olds noted the district speed review “got it pretty much right the first time.”
The meeting also agreed to seek speed reductions to 50 KmH on the State Highway 2 entrance roads into southern Featherston and State Highway 53 into Martinborough – currently 70KmH.
Martinborough’s Puruatanga Road – scene of November’s fatal “Crocodile” bike vs car fatal smash – earlier sparked a Destination Wairarapa letter calling for the 100KmH limit to be cut to 70KmH on a road where four-wheeled bike groups and pedestrians access wineries.
Mayor Martin Connelly advised them that a 60KmH top speed was proposed for the road – but because of government override the council “was required to reconsult on speed changes for a period of six weeks.”
The Strategy Working Committee formally agreed:
to approve changes noted in the 2025 Speed Review Report from the earlier approved (but not implemented) interim Speed Management Plan 2022, and:
approve the Chief Executive to … commence (community) consultation as soon as practicable once the Consultation Document is completed.
