Proposals to reduce speed limits in the Queenstown CBD and close Buckingham St to traffic between 11am and 4pm have been rejected by a Queenstown Lakes District Council senior engineer.
In a report to the council on proposed speed limit changes throughout the district being considered tomorrow, Andrew Edgar said the council asked for feedback in October relating to sites where residents and ratepayers thought speed limits should to be altered.
Twelve submissions were received relating to 16 sites - four of those were requested changes to sections of the State Highway network, which had been passed on to the New Zealand Transport Agency.
The remaining sites included five new requests, but Mr Edgar's report recommended all of those be declined.
There were four requests to change speed limits in the Queenstown CBD - that was being considered as part of the Queenstown Town Centre transport strategy process and it was recommended to leave the limit at 50kmh and review it once the strategy was complete.
The ''main thrust'' of a request to lower the speed limit in Arrowtown, on Ramshaw Lane and Buckingham St between Berkshire and Wiltshire Sts, was to close Buckingham St between 11am and 4pm ''to eliminate the danger''.
''Vehicle speeds are already low on Buckingham St at peak times,'' the report said.
''The increasing number of pedestrians in the area is likely to be improving their safety as there is more activity for drivers to be aware of and to slow down accordingly.
''It recommended the speed limit stay at 50kmh.''
A request to lower the speed limit at the Quail Rise subdivision to 30kmh due to children in the area was recommended to be declined because there was an existing extensive footpath network.
A request to reduce the speed limit on Cemetery Rd between Domain and Muir roads would be reviewed if development begins on the south side of Cemetery Rd.
QLDC proposed amendments
• Tucker Beach Rd and Hansen Rd (north), from State Highway 6 to the Tucker Beach Reserve, from 80kmh to 60kmh.
• Aubrey Rd, 100m either side of the roundabout at Gunn Rd, from 70kmh to 60kmh.
• Speargrass Flat Rd, between Arrowtown Lake Hayes Rd and Slopehill Rd (east), from 80kmh to 70kmh.
• Arrowtown Lake-Hayes Rd and Butel Rd, between Speargrass Flat and Malaghans Roads and Butel Rd, from 100kmh to 80kmh.
• Centennial Ave-McDonnell Rd, between State Highway 6 and the Arrowtown urban traffic area, from 100kmh to 80kmh.
• Whitechapel Rd, from 80kmh to 50kmh.
• Frankton Marina Local Purpose Reserve, from 50kmh to 20kmh.
• The ''loop'' around Arrowtown Primary School, including minor cul-de-sacs off Hood Cres, Adamson Dr and Centennial Ave, from 50kmh to 40kmh.
• Plantation Rd, from Kings Dr to Totara Terrace, from 50kmh to 40kmh.
• Kinloch Rd, from Gorge Creek bridge to 540m south of the bridge, from 100kmh to 30kmh between December 20 and February 10.
