THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING
Lowering the speed limit on State Highway 5 will not fix the fundamental issues with the road
Reducing speed limits not the answer to poor roads Y
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. by Nick Leggett Chief Executive
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TD31603 TD30811
Road Transport Forum NZ
OU DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR ON our roads to feel like you’re on a dodgem track – having to take evasive action to avoid potholes and uneven road surfaces. Instead of making the necessary investment to maintain and repair these roads, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency’s plan seems to be to simply reduce speed limits and blame speed for any crashes. The latest proposal is to lower the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h on an 83-kilometre section of the Napier-Taupo Road (State Highway 5). Because of historically poor design and engineering, the road surface on SH5 is in a terrible state. It has poor traction, making it like driving on ice. The surface has also been so frequently patched that it looks like a patchwork quilt. The unevenness this creates adds to the treacherous nature of the route as vehicles bounce around. The type of bitumen used is totally inadequate for the temperature variations the region experiences, with very
hot temperatures in summer and frequently heavy snowfall in winter. This contributes to flushing and the chip seal not sticking to the base layer. If all the issues with the road surface aren’t enough, when a vehicle comes into the path of an accident situation the lack of adequate runoff areas, poor shoulder designs, and steep shoulder gradients means taking evasive action is extremely difficult. At a time when our supply chain is struggling to keep up with demand and our economy needs goods to be flowing freely, slowing everyone down on the road slows the economy down: Everything takes more time and money, productivity drops and costs get passed on to householders. Waka Kotahi has said its aim in dropping the speed limit is to save lives and prevent serious injuries from crashes. Former V8 Supercars driver and road safety advocate Greg Murphy is based in Hawke’s Bay and drives the Truck & Driver | 37
