An inter-governmental report recommending for lower speed limits on rural and urban roads is being knocked-back by transport industry groups.
The International Transport Forum, made up of 59 member countries including New Zealand, is proposing that rural roads which don’t have median barriers should have speed limits lowered to 70km/h.
The report also recommends a 30 km/h speed limit for built-up and residential urban areas and 50km/h for other urban areas with intersections and high risk of side collisions.
Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley says the recommendations are extreme.
“I think 30 km/h is slow, the frustrations that would go with that would create more problems… and equally on an open road, 70 km/h is too slow,” Shirley told Radio NZ.
Car buyers website the Dog and Lemon Guide is also against the proposal.
Dog and Lemon Guide editor and road safety campaigner Clive Matthew-Wilson says it’s a “knee-jerk reaction to a rising road toll and doesn’t really address the major issues”.
“Think about it: only a tiny percentage of New Zealand roads have median barriers, even on state highways. Imposing a 70kp/h slow speed limit on long, straight roads would be met with open rebellion.”
Matthew-Wilson supports the lowering of the speed limit on the most dangerous roads, but says 70kp/h, is too slow.
“New Zealand’s rural roads are often narrow, winding and poorly designed. On the most dangerous roads, where there are no safety measures in place, it makes sense to reduce the speed limit to 80kp/h.”
Federated Farmers’ president Katie Milne is also against the measures.
“I just think it’s going to slow down, way too much, the basics of commerce and people getting around in New Zealand in general and the frustration level that would go with that, which we already do strike when we strike in places slower tourists, I think it would just create havoc versus their desired outcome which is less accidents,” Milne told Radio NZ
