Speed limit reversals: Government better know what it’s doing – Editorial

Transport Minister Chris Bishop (left) and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Tauherenīkau, Wairarapa, where they announced the reversal of speed limit reductions on a number of New Zealand roads. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Editorial

• Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced speed limits will be raised on 38 sections of state highways.
• The decision has sparked concern, with critics citing an increased risk of serious crashes.
• One advocate group sought a judicial review, calling the decision “unreasonable and perverse”.

The Government’s drive to raise speed limits will shave minutes off journeys but should not come at the expense of our shameful road toll.

On Wednesday, new Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced 38 sections of the state highway network will have speed limits reversed to their previous higher limits over the next five months.

It will affect swathes of roads across the country.

Making similar changes to another 49 sections of state highway will be put out for public consultation.

While the move has been welcomed by some motorists, and by road freight operators who say it will save costs, it has caused dismay in other corners.

Speed is one of the leading causes of road harm.

Dropping the speeds on known black spots surely results in fewer crashes, and therefore deaths, injuries and delays on our roads.

Research shows there is a 75% chance of surviving an accident at 80km/h, which contrasts against a 10% chance of living if you or the other vehicle is travelling at 100km/h.

Charitable trust Movement, which advocates for safe transport, had lodged an application for a judicial review of the Transport Minister’s decision.

Group spokesman Bevan Woodward called the raising of the speed limits “unreasonable and perverse”.

University of Canterbury geography professor and transport researcher Simon Kingham said allowing Kiwi drivers to go faster would inevitably lead to more serious crashes.

It’s also been labelled a populist move by the Government which has not been based on evidence.

Road safety expert Glenn Koorey says speed reductions have had tangible, positive changes to road safety.

He cited the example of State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō where road deaths had dropped by more than 40%.

But Bishop insists the moves are safe.

While nobody enjoys driving slowly, arriving a few minutes later than expected is always going to be preferable to never making it at all.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), which is responsible for making the changes, is under firm instructions from the Government to not muck around.

But with New Zealand’s annual road toll of around 300 deaths, there is no room for error.

Any increase in the speed limits must be made with extreme caution and common sense.

For, to quote one of NZTA’s most famous road safety campaigns, which it is known for around the world, “the faster you go – the bigger the mess”.