Latest news with #WakaKotahi
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
'Dumb decision' to increase Nelson highway speed limit reversed
Nelson's Clifton Terrace School students protested over the speed limit changes in February. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee A section of highway north of Nelson will remain at 60km/h after a strong community campaign against the government rollback of speed limit reductions. The 1.8-kilometre stretch of State Highway 6, north of Nelson, was set to increase to 80km/h from July, until Waka Kotahi / New Zealand Transport Agency agreed to publicly consult on the proposed change. The stretch of road through Marybank at Atawhai passes Clifton Terrace School and many residential properties. The community launched a strong campaign in opposition to the government's speed limit reversal plan , writing to the transport minister with their concerns. Waka Kotahi said it received strong feedback that people did not want the stretch of road to revert to higher speed limits. Of 1787 submissions, 76 percent wanted the speed limit to remain at 60km/h. Respondents showed a desire to keep children safe on the road, especially those travelling by foot or bike to Clifton Terrace School. Parents for Active Transport's Emily Osborne said it was a relief to learn the speed limit would remain at 60km/h. The group was formed in the hope of achieving safety improvements on the cycleway alongside the state highway so parents felt more comfortable with their kids riding to Clifton Terrace School, but Osborne said they had spent the last six months campaigning to ensure the speed on the highway remained the same. "It just reaffirms that this is a battle that we shouldn't really have had to fight because it was just a dumb decision [the government] made." She said claims the previous government was slowing the country down were not true, when the speed limit was previously reduced from 80km/h on that section of SH6 because it was unsafe. Waka Kotahi said its safety and technical data aligned with submissions said children were safer when travelling by foot or bike to and from school, and residents also reporting it was safer to cross the state highway with the traffic at 60km/h. "There are not many people around who think that going faster through that stretch is a good idea," Osborne said. She said the decision was "a little bit bittersweet" as it came on the back of speed limit increases on SH6 between Nelson and Blenheim, which reverted to their former limits on Monday. She anticipated that there would be more serious crashes and deaths on that section of highway, as was the case before the speeds were reduced in 2020. "We drive over it all the time as do all our family and friends and stuff and it's just not safe." Another "urban connector" section of road on SH6, north of Wakefield, was due to have its speed increased but was consulted on, with the decision also made for it to stay at 60km/h. Of 633 submissions, 49 percent wanted the speed limit to remain at 60km/h. Labour MP Rachel Boyack. Photo: Max Frethey / LDR Nelson's Labour MP Rachel Boyack said there had been a huge pushback from the community when the government announced the speed increases and she was delighted that their views had been taken into account. She said the blanket decision to reverse all of the speed limit changes had been made without looking at the evidence. "People have been advocating for lower speed limits in some of these areas for years and years off the back of fatal crashes, lots of incidents where children have been unsafe getting to school." She said the decision to retain the lower speed limit was a result of the hard work done by many to ensure Waka Kotahi heard the views of the community. "This didn't have to happen. If the government's rule had been written in a more flexible way at the very beginning, we wouldn't have had to go through this long-winded and expensive consultation process." Boyack said there was another section of SH6, further north at Hira, where the road ran past a school and the speed had been increased, despite strong community feedback against it. "The indication is that future speed management reviews could be made there, but it's just such a waste of time and money to be going back and forth between different speed limits. We need a robust system that looks at both the evidence and the views of the local community." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Public transport tag ticketing system 'not on track'
By Nick James of RNZ "No options are off the table" to get the National Ticketing Solution back on track, the Transport Minister says. There has been $1.4 billion set aside for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Waka Kotahi project named Motu Move that would allow commuters to easily tag onto public transport anywhere nationwide. It had been beset with delays and councils covering regions, such as Wellington and Auckland, have raised concerns about the project. NZTA Waka Kotahi planned to announce a delayed rollout plan for the National Ticketing Solution for areas outside of Canterbury where it was being trialled. That was expected to be announced in August. At Tuesday's transport and infrastructure committee meeting Transport Minister Chris Bishop said he was "worried" about the project. "I had the governance group in my office ten days or so ago and made it really clear to them that it is a government priority to get the project back on track. "It is not on track at the moment." Bishop said an external review of the project was underway and would deliver a plan to the government at the end of July. He said the outcomes of that would be considered. "No options are off the table in terms of anything we need to do to bring the project back on track." Bishop said that part of the "challenge" for the project was that public transport authorities were pushing to retain their fare concessions. "There are really niche, bespoke concessions arrangements in some PTAs (public transport authorities)." All of that raised cost and time, Bishop said. He said the other problem was the governance group. "The way it's structured is you know unless everyone agrees nothing moves forward." Bishop said the project did not have a money issue, but instead faced technology, delivery and governance issues. "There's plenty of money there." Once he considered the plan set to be finalised in July he would make public announcements about next steps for the project. NZTA Waka Kotahi said the independent review would provide further information on the project's challenges of delivery, assurance of the planned implementation, and ensure the programme was set up and supported for the successful rollout of the National Ticketing Solution across New Zealand. US transport-defence contractor Cubic has been delivering the project under a near-$500m contract, but it had previously had capacity problems and missed deadlines.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Otago Daily Times
Icy start on Southern roads
It is a slippery start for many Southerners this morning after temperatures plummeted well into the negatives overnight. At 7am, Mosgiel was sitting at a frigid -5degC, though MetService claimed it felt -7. Becks topped the teeth-chattering charts with -8, Lindis Valley got to -7 and Arrowtown was at -6. NZTA Waka Kotahi and local councils have urged caution on roads in Central Otago and the Queenstown/Lakes areas due to the icy conditions. Cautions are in place on SH6 between Gibbston and Kingston, and from Wānaka to Haast Pass. Icy conditions are also expected on SH8 between Tarras and Omarama, and on SH85 between Ranfurly and Alexandra. No specific warnings are in place for Dunedin drivers but ice remains likely around the city. QLDC said there were reports of thick fog in many places, as well as ice. Grit had been applied on Malaghans Rd, Littles Rd, and Dalefield Rd in Queenstown. Particular caution has been urged for those in Fernhill. There have been no reports of accidents on Southern roads due to the conditions this morning but police urged drivers to take extra care and increase their following distances.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Nationwide public transport ticketing system 'not on track', minister says
The Motu Move project has been beset with delays. File picture. Photo: 123RF "No options are off the table" to get the National Ticketing Solution back on track, the Transport Minister says. There has been $1.4 billion set aside for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Waka Kotahi project named Motu Move that would allow commuters to easily tag onto public transport anywhere nationwide. It had been beset with delays and councils covering regions such as Wellington and Auckland have raised concerns about the project. NZTA Waka Kotahi planned to announce a delayed rollout plan for the National Ticketing Solution for areas outside of Canterbury where it was being trialled. That was expected to be announced in August. At Tuesday's transport and infrastructure committee meeting Transport Minister Chris Bishop said he was "worried" about the project. "I had the governance group in my office ten days or so ago and made it really clear to them that it is a government priority to get the project back on track. "It is not on track at the moment." Bishop said an external review of the project was underway and would deliver a plan to the government at the end of July. He said the outcomes of that would be considered. "No options are off the table in terms of anything we need to do to bring the project back on track." Bishop said that part of the "challenge" for the project was that public transport authorities were pushing to retain their fare concessions. "There are really niche, bespoke concessions arrangements in some PTAs (public transport authorities)." All of that raised cost and time, Bishop said. He said the other problem was the governance group. "The way it's structured is you know unless everyone agrees nothing moves forward." Bishop said the project did not have a money issue, but instead faced technology, delivery and governance issues. "There's plenty of money there." Once he considered the plan set to be finalised in July he would make public announcements about next steps for the project. NZTA Waka Kotahi said the independent review would provide further information on the project's challenges of delivery, assurance of the planned implementation, and ensure the programme was set up and supported for the successful rollout of the National Ticketing Solution across New Zealand. US transport-defence contractor Cubic has been delivering the project under a near-$500m contract, but it had previously had capacity problems and missed deadlines. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- Otago Daily Times
Warnings black ice may close inland roads
Photo: RNZ / Maja Burry The Transport Agency is warning motorists to take care with black ice and freezing temperatures expected to cause issues in the Mackenzie Basin this week. Waka Kotahi says fog, hoar frosts and black ice are likely to make driving challenging on State Highways 8 and 80 in inland Canterbury over coming days. Parts of State Highway 8 near Lake Tekapo have been reduced to 50 kilometres per hour and roads will be closed if conditions get worse. Waka Kotahi system manager Mark Pinner said while reducing speed is not a usual approach, typical de-icing agents were working at an extreme range, making them less effective. "The nature of the conditions forecast for this week means we need to use every tool we can to keep people safe on the roads," he said. Pinner said motorists should slow down, especially with the roads expected to be busy over the Matariki long weekend. "We also know it's going to get busier later in the week as we get closer to the long holiday weekend for Matariki. Reducing speed is the biggest thing drivers can do to keep themselves safe and to help keep the highways open." Meanwhile, State Highway 7 between Canterbury and the West Coast will remain closed for a second night after a slip discovered on Sunday morning led to the closure between Springs Junction and Island Hills. Waka Kotahi says contractors have worked with a geotechnical expert to prevent further debris falling at the slip, which is just south of Riordan Creek Bridge. The closure includes Lewis Pass and Maruia Springs. There is no detour, and motorists have been asked to delay travel and avoid the area. A single lane is expected to open at 7am Tuesday, with traffic management in place.
