Are you more likely to obey a speed limit sign or a yellow advisory sign?
That question is at the heart of Tasman District Council’s final round of speed limit consultation, which has now opened.
The focus of this consultation is on narrow and winding unsealed roads, rural residential roads, urban roads without footpaths, and a selection of other specific roads.
Many of rural Tasman’s narrow and winding unsealed roads have legal speed limits of 100km/h, which is out-of-sync with the Government’s recommendation of 60–80km/h.
The speed plan adopted by the council last year, but since invalidated by a Government rule, had indicated that these roads would be lowered to 60km/h.
But now, the council is asking if it should go ahead and lower the speeds, or instead, if it should merely erect more yellow advisory signs.
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The key piece of data driving the question is that the average speed on Tasman’s narrow and winding unsealed roads was between 17 and 42km/h, already far below 60km/h.
While driving on these roads at 100km/h is generally unsafe, it is legally allowed.
Bringing the speed limit down to 60km/h would ensure the legal speed limit was more appropriate, but it would still be faster than most of the existing speeds.
Before consultation opened, Tasman’s mayor expressed reservations about lowering the speed limits, which would require more speed signs to be installed, “given we know that people treat speed limit signs as targets”.
“The question for us is ‘what form of information will most likely result in a reduction in speed on those roads?’” Tim King said.
“Because at the moment there is no sign on the road, nothing… People are driving at 25[km/h] or 31 or 42 because of the conditions.”
He instead wondered if putting up more yellow advisory signs would be more effective in ensuring drivers continue travelling at safe speeds.
Those signs can advise drivers that upcoming sections of roads are winding, gravel, or have many pedestrians, encouraging them to slow down. However, they aren’t enforceable.
Road sign rules also mean that advisory signs don’t need to be repeated as often as speed limit signs, reducing their cost.
That means updated 60km/h signs for Tasman’s narrow and winding unsealed roads would cost $82,000, whereas the advisory signs would cost almost half as much at about $44,000.
“If we’re going to spend money on signage, it probably would be better on advisory signs that better reflect the actual situation than just a speed limit sign,” King said.
“If you drive around New Zealand and don’t follow [the advisory signs], then you will be off the road on a fairly regular basis.”
Consultation closes on Monday, July 21.
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