Police want lower speed limit on death road

A top traffic policeman wants speed restrictions on one of New Zealand's deadliest highways after the deaths of a New Lynn family of three.

Phillipa Robertson, 23, a top hairdresser, partner Bryce Mills, 23, a highly regarded skateboarder and their 22-month-old daughter Mercedes died when their car and a 40-tonne truck collided on State Highway 2 near Maramarua.

It was the second deadly crash in the area in less than three weeks.

Waikato road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman wants a speed limit of 80km/h between Mangatawhiri and Maramarua. "I do not believe the road was designed for speeds over 80km/h," he said.

"We will meet Transit New Zealand to discuss getting a limit."

A 70km/h limit applies through Maramarua township, but the rest of the stretch is 100km/h.

Restrictions of between 50km/h and 80km/h have been in place at the Longswamp improvement on State Highway 1 between Mercer and south of Meremere for two years.

Mr Tooman said these had nearly eliminated accidents along that almost 10km stretch of road.

Transit is awaiting funding for a bypass between the Mangatawhiri Bridge and the Maramarua golf course. It is due to be ready by 2008. A proposal to divert traffic around Maramarua is also being developed.

Mr Tooman's plan was backed by Transit's Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional manager Chris Allen, who said immediate action was needed to cut the number of deaths.

"It is appropriate to be looking with police at measures that can be put in place reasonably quickly, and if speed zoning is appropriate, it may be what we need to do."

The latest deaths, on Friday night, take the number killed on the road, including historian Michael King and his wife, Maria Jungowska, to 35 in five years.

Anna-Leah Simmonds, 21, of Tauranga and Shunichi Yazaki, 37, from Howick, were killed in a four-car pile-up on December 21.

Police say both vehicles in Friday night's crash were in good condition and no speed or alcohol were involved.