Just two road speed signs adorn Puruatanga Road – scene of mid-February’s fatal car vs multi-bike collision which killed a British tourist and injured three others on Winery Row.
One is an Open Road sign signalling the Puruatanga Road ahead is a 100 kph zone: “pedal to the metal.”
The second speed sign faces the other way, near Regent St and warning road-users to cut back to 70 kph as they near the western end of Puruatanga and the intersection with Ponatahi Rd/Princess St.
The other road signs dotted along the two-plus kilometers of tarmac do nothing to indicate slower speed: two Black and White signs bearing the words “Pass Safely,” an arrow between a bike and car graphic with a “1.5m” gap recommendation for passing a bike-rider; four yellow-background signs with a “bike” graphic and no wording.
As noted shortly after the fatal crash, this road daily carries multi-unit stock trucks, trucks, tractors, spray units, work utes and vans, cars – as well as people on single bikes, tandems, “crocodile” multi-bikes of four and six riders, plus pedestrians, runners and
dog walkers.
All of this road and roadside activity takes place in a mainly 100 kph speed zone, which many in the community have already submitted needs to be reviewed downwards.
The options proposed to date: 60 kph, 50 kph – recommended in two separate reports to South Wairarapa District Council.
Or the 40 kph community members including wine industry cellar door operators on the road have suggested as a safer option.
Upgraded road signage could also also become a priority. On one of the busier pedestrian roadways – particularly at weekends – there are no predestrian, runner or dog-walker signs suggesting motorists should be aware and even slow down. None.
