The crazy proposal to reduce the speed limits across all urban townships is not going to make the roads safer – it will just cause more frustration and delay for people, East Coast national candidate Dana Kirkpatrick says.
Ms Kirkpatrick today launched a petition to stop Waka Kotahi via its council directive reducing the speed limits in Whakatāne and Ōhope.
“It will slow the town down, cause frustration and reduce productivity. Neither the Mayor, the council or the Police are in support of this,” she said. “We agree that traffic past schools should slow down – no question but to blanket entire sections of road from Port Ōhope as a 30kph zone is ridiculous.
“Waka Kotahi has this notion that it will shift everyone onto bikes and walkways – and that will make the roads safer. How about understanding that people are doing their best in a cost of living crisis to get to work on time, to make a living and be productive.”
This is just another example of Labour stripping away local control and community decision making. Instead of upgrading our roads to make sure they’re safe to drive on, Labour is taking the easy way out once more with simple, blanket speed limit reductions on all our roads that won’t actually make a meaningful difference.
National opposes blanket speed limit reductions, and prefers a targeted approach that increases genuine safety in the right places, and improves the quality of our roads. Kiwis want safer roads, not slower roads.
Please sign our petition to tell Labour to leave speed limits alone and instead invest in real improvements to our roads to save lives. Consultation closes on 30 July so the petition will be open until then and will be presented to the Council and Waka Kotahi once it is completed.
Sign the petition here: