‘Nagging has worked’: Speed limit drop for Methven
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Deputy mayor Liz McMillan says she is pleased the speed limit will drop on a section of highway through Methven after years of “nagging”.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi announced that the speed limit for a section of State Highway 77 at the northern end of Methven will be reduced to 60kph by the end of July.
“The nagging has worked,” McMillan said.
“It has been a bit of a long process but [I'm] really happy as the community wanted this, so it’s a really good outcome.
“It’s going to make a huge difference.”
The speed limit from Racecourse Ave to past Holmes Rd, covering 600m, will reduce from 100kph to 60kph by the end of July.
McMillan and other Methven residents launched a petition calling for the speed reduction in 2021.
NZTA had initially proposed a reduction to 80kph but the Methven community asked for it to be lower.
NZTA’s technical assessment supported this feedback and a reduced speed limit to match the road environment.
The community felt the 100kph speed limit no longer fitted the stretch of SH77 that carries traffic heading to the Mt Hutt Ski Field, the Ōpuke thermal pools, and Methven Racecourse.
A growing number of people were using the shared pathway next to the highway to walk or bike to the pools, racecourse, or the walking track at the end of town, McMillan said.
“It’s going to make it a lot safer and it’s good timing that it’s happening in winter with the traffic increasing. It’s a busy road anyway but in winter it’s even busier.”
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said there will be a campaign to advertise the new speed limit in the lead-up to its introduction and Police will be in the area in the days following “to remind drivers of the change”.
Feedback on speed limits north of the township showed unanimous support for a reduction further than was initially proposed, he said.
Last week, the Minister of Transport released a proposed new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits that is out for public consultation and planned to come into force by the end of the year.
NZTA is working under the 2022 version of the Rule for the Methven SH77 speed limit change, but the change is also consistent with the intent of the incoming 2024 Rule.
When the new rule comes into effect, there could be more speed changes for Canterbury highways, including a variable reduced speed zone for Methven schools on SH77.
We're talking new year resolutions...
Tidying the house before going to bed each night, meditating upon waking or taking the stairs at work.
What’s something quick, or easy, that you started doing that made a major positive change in your life?
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
What word sums up 2024, neighbours?
If 2020 was the year of lockdowns, banana bread, and WFH (work from home)....
In one word, how would you define 2024?
We're excited to see what you come up with!
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