Man killed in Farndon Rd accident

A man has been killed in a crash in Hastings.

A young man died in a weekend crash on a stretch of road where the speed limit was raised back to 100km/h this year after a backlash over lower limits introduced by the Hastings District Council.

The single-vehicle crash happened just before midnight on Saturday, on a bend in Farndon Rd about 300 metres east of the intersection with Pakowhai Rd.

Having just turned off Pakowhai Rd, the car left the road entering the bend, dropped two metres down into the base of a shelter belt, struck several trees and catapulted back on to the road.

The silver 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer came to rest 70m from where it had first left the road. A back-seat passenger, 21, died; a 22-year-old was last night in a critical condition in hospital, another was in a serious condition, and the fourth occupant was treated and discharged.

A nurse, understood to have been on her way home from work, told police she had seen the car travelling at speed heading north in Pakowhai Rd out of Hastings. She had discovered the crash a few minutes later.

A couple of Farndon Rd residents, who last month told Hawke's Bay Today of their continued concerns about traffic speed and noise since the 100km/h limit was restored, and of two crashes in the area this year, slept through the weekend crash, only becoming aware a while later when they saw the flashing lights of emergency vehicles. A neighbour who had also spoken of her concerns last month was unaware of the tragedy till mid-morning, but said it probably highlighted the tendency drivers had to accelerate quickly passing the 100km/h speed sign, between Pakowhai Rd and the bend.

Police Hawke's Bay Area road policing team member Sergeant Paul Ormerod said yesterday police were seeking information about the car's movements in the time before the crash, which was reported at 11.38pm.

The road was closed for almost five hours as emergency services removed victims, cleared the road and started investigating the crash. A road worker was called to spread lime across the road after police expressed concern about the slippery surface on the bend.

While the crash happened in dry weather, there was light rain for much of the rest of the morning.

The Hastings council had introduced a Safe Speed Zone lowering the speed limit on a 500m stretch of Farndon Rd, and several other roads, to 80km/h in March last year. After a backlash the 100km/h limit was restored five months ago.

Mr Ormerod said the speed limit was initially lowered "due to the numerous roadside hazards and little room for driver error highlighted by police".

However, a study is being undertaken aimed at reducing the risk the hazards present on Farndon Rd as a result of the raised limit.

"Farndon Rd has little room for driver error and the Hastings Serious Crash Unit will explore the impact of this in this particular crash," Mr Ormerod said.

Meanwhile, two young women in a car that was in a collision with a truck at the Hawke's Bay Expressway-Westshore crash blackspot last Wednesday night remain in a serious condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital. The male driver has been discharged.