Changes to the speed limit on Taieri Mouth Rd, south of Brighton, will be considered by a Dunedin City Council hearings committee next Thursday.
The council sought feedback on three options: maintain the current 100kmh speed limit, reduce the speed limit to 80kmh on the full length of road (13.9km) or reduce the speed limit to 80kmh on the road’s southern 6.3km stretch.
A consultation summary report for the hearing said 133 of the 238 submissions (56%) backed the status quo, 78 (33%) supported a reduction along the whole road and 27 (11%) backed a partial reduction.
Those opposed to speed limit reduction generally considered the road safe to drive at 100kmh, while those who supported full reduction largely cited safety concerns and believed the road was not safe to drive at the current speed.
Among those against lowering the speed limit were residents who regularly commuted to Dunedin concerned it would add time to their trips.
Local Emma Goodman was among residents who shared this concern, saying she would hate the limit to be dropped to 80kmh.
‘‘It’s how I get to work and I would have to get up significantly earlier. This would impact my everyday life,’’ she said.
Others said the main safety issue on the road was people driving too slowly, which led to dangerous passing.
They believed this issue would be exacerbated by a lower speed limit.
Submitters who backed a partial reduction felt it was a compromise to address safety without overly impacting travel times.
The road is part of the Southern Scenic Route and the hearing report said the average operating speed along the road was 88-92kmh.
The council consulted on similar changes in 2023, but work stopped after the government changed the process for setting speed limits.
At the time, about 30 Kuri Bush residents signed a submission supporting an 80kmh speed limit along the road’s full length.
Residents backed the proposal again in this round of consultation, outlining concerns with speed, blind exits and entrances and a lack of yellow lines along the road.
The New Zealand Sea Lion Trust also backed a full-length reduction.
‘‘Sea lions, especially females, are turning up more frequently along the coast and crossing coastal roads, including Taieri Mouth Rd,’’ trust co-chairman Shaun McConkey said.
‘‘With a speed limit of 100kmh, this is more likely to result in the injury or death, not only of the sea lion, but also the people involved in any incident as well.’’
Saddle Hill Community Board chairman Paul Weir said feedback from the community indicated a partial reduction had most support.
Although no formal submission was made, Clutha District Council transport staff backed a speed limit reduction on the Dunedin section of Taieri Mouth Rd, the hearing report said.
A small part of the road crosses into Clutha, where its speed limit is 70kmh. The staff also noted ‘‘significant presence’’ of tourists and visitors using the road.
Any recommendation made by the committee will be considered at a full council meeting.
