This file photo of Waiotapu shows some of the different entrances and exits from SH5 in the area. Photo / NZME
This file photo of Waiotapu shows some of the different entrances and exits from SH5 in the area. Photo / NZME
A reduction of speed limits on some of Rotorua's deadliest highways appears to have had little effect on the number of crashes as concerns remain that not everyone is sticking to the new rules.
On December 11, 2020, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency changed the speed limits on sectionsof State Highway 33 at Paengaora, Okere Falls, Mourea, Okawa Bay, SH30 at Te Ngae Rd, the SH30/33 junction and SH5 at Waiotapu.
Most speed limits were changed from 100km/h to 80km/h or 60km/h at Okere Falls, except for the SH30/33 junction, Paengaroa and Mourea which were dropped from 80km/h or 70km/h to 60km/h with the SH30/33 junction being a variable limit.
Russell Berry has owned the Benny Bee Arataki Honey and Gull Waiotapu on State Highway 5 for 57 years. Photo / NZME
Figures obtained by Rotorua Daily Post under the Official Information Act show that in the year leading up to then, there were 24 crashes on those sections of highways. Since the new limit was brought in, to October 12, 2021, there have been at least 19 crashes.
The crashes during the first year involved 14 non-injury crashes, nine minor injury and one serious crash.
The latest tally consists of 10 non-injury crashes, seven minor injury, one serious crash and at least one fatal.
Three people, Anthony Taylor, his wife Tina Allen and Mark Daniels, died as a result of a head-on collision at Waiotapu on June 29. These deaths were not included in the transport agency data.
This was expected to be because of the police reporting time frame and subsequent data processing, contributing to a lag from the time of a crash to full and correct records in the Crash Analysis System database.
Rural Community Board chairwoman Shirley Trumper said people did not appear to be paying attention to the slower speed limits at Waiotapu but people were more aware of the dangers, "particularly after that fatality".
Trumper said she would like a stronger police presence in the area to enforce the speed limit "because there's a significant number that go through there at 100km/h-plus now".
"We are really lucky we don't have international tourists driving around because that was the biggest issue at that [Waikite Rd] intersection . . . tourists not knowing where to look."
Trumper first began pushing for a speed drop in the Waiotapu area six years ago and was glad to see it arrive, despite the lack of compliance from some.
She believed local drivers were "the worst" because they believed they knew the road and their chosen speed was okay, she said.
Variable speed limits outside some schools were also introduced at the same time as the reduced speed limits.
At Broadlands School the new limit of 40km/h during school hours had been particularly effective, Trumper said.
Waiotapu Tavern manager Bharath Ranga said he was concerned as about half of motorists did not stick to the speed limit.
"We've got Waikite Valley people coming in, hot pools people coming in, the petrol station, the shop, Arataki Honey, our tavern, and people don't follow the rules. Anything can happen. We have so many truckies stopping here."
Rotorua Rural Community Board chairwoman Shirley Trumper. Photo / NZME
Ranga said he'd like to see the section of reduced speed extended and the new limit of 80km/h reduced further to 60km/h.
Benny Bee Arataki Honey and Gull Waiotapu owner Russell Berry was not available for comment but said in a previous article that people did not appreciate how dangerous the Waiotapu road was.
Berry had spent 10 to 15 years battling for the speed to be reduced, he said.
In July, Berry said he suspected there would be "quite a few" not adhering to the new speed limit.
Bay of Plenty road policing manager Inspector Brent Crowe told the Rotorua Daily Post all areas with new speed limits were patrolled and many were of these areas were usually monitored anyway due to the area's crash risk.
Crowe said compliance overall had been good "especially with moderate to heavy traffic flows".
"However, when traffic is lighter, speeds above the limit are more prevalent. Those areas of lesser compliance tended to be rural of semi-rural," Crowe said.
"Drivers need to be aware of the new changes as some areas, such as Okere Falls/SH33 have undergone several changes on a single stretch of road."
Transport agency regional relationships director David Spiers said it had also made safety improvements but would "continue to monitor the road and consider whether it needs further improvement".
Spiers said the roads were identified as areas where there would be the greatest reduction of deaths and serious injuries if "speed management intervention" was put in place.
The agency measured its success of reducing speed limits through compliance and a reduction in road trauma.
However, the agency needed "an appropriate time period to pass" before evaluating the changes, he said.
The reduced speed limits were part of a Road to Zero 2020 - 2030 strategy and drivers had a responsibility to play in this also, he said.
An earlier version of this article contained a photo of a blurred van. To clarify, the driver of this van, which belonged to Ready2Roll Shuttles, was not speeding in this photo. We apologise for any distress this photo caused.
