Masterton Mayor joins MP in urging speed rethink

Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell and Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty are asking Waka Kotahi to reconsider its decision to impose an 80km/h speed limit on the open stretches of road on State Highway 2 between Carterton and Featherston.

Their call comes after PM Chris Hipkins announced a “reprioritisation” of some Government programmes, including the narrowing of the speed limit reduction programme to refocus on the most dangerous one per cent of highways, along with some changes around schools and marae.

Caffell said he spoke to McAnulty by phone this morning to ascertain whether the latest announcement could encourage Waka Kotahi to overturn its decision and return the said speed limits to 100km/h and both had agreed there were good and valid reasons why that should be the case.

“We believe these stretches of road do not come under the one per cent threshold and while we acknowledge that the final decision rests with Waka Kotahi, not with Ministers, we believe they should now take the opportunity to reconsider,” Caffell said.

“There is a window there which gives them the chance to do just that, and we are urging them to go down that path.”