The NZ Transport Agency is extending the 80km/h speed limit to both the north and south of Ngahere on State Highway 7 to improve safety for all road users.
A review of the speed limit, following a truck rollover near the intersection of Nelson Creek Road with SH7 in July last year, found widespread support for the extension of the 80km/h speed limit, says the Transport Agency's Traffic and Safety Manager Tony Spowart.
The 80km/h speed limit will be extended 590 metres to the north, to include the Nelson Creek Road intersection, and 680 metres to the south to include the Camptown Road intersection. Mr Spowart says initially the Transport Agency looked to extend the 80km/h speed limit just to the north but during consultation found strong support to extend it to the south as well. "Extending the 80km/h speed limit to include Camptown Road, to the south, was considered important because of the restricted visibility for vehicles turning right from Camptown Road."
The new 80km/h speed limit area will begin 280m north of Nelson Creek Road and run through to 245 metres south of Red Jacks Road. It has been gazetted and will come into force within the next month. Mr Spowart says the Transport Agency regularly reviews speed limits to ensure these appropriately reflect the function and level of safety on a particular road, as well as any change in activity or development in an area.
"While 80km/h remains an appropriate speed through Ngahere, extending the 80km/h to both the north and south of the West Coast town will ensure greater safety for all vehicles travelling on State Highway 7 and turning into or from adjoining side roads."
He says increasingly, as part of the Transport Agency's significant investment in safety, road users will understand that some roads are safer than others and will travel at speeds that are appropriate for the level of safety of the road.
For more information please contact:
Jan McCarthy Media Manager - Christchurch NZ Transport Agency
T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mccarthy@nzta.govt.nz
