A traffic safety study on State Highway 1 through north Oamaru is not going ahead because funding is not available, but that may be reviewed again in 2018.
In May last year, the New Zealand Transport Agency had discussions with Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean and north end business owners over the pedestrian cross light for the north end business centre, and said it would look at updating a study carried out in 2008 on SH1 between Orwell St and the Oamaru northern boundary.
However, after further inquiries this week, the Otago Daily Times has been told by the agency the study was not high enough in priority to get funding.
The agency's acting southern business unit manager, Ian Duncan, said in order for the study to get funding in the recent 2015-18 National Land Transport Programme, it needed to be in the present 2015-21 Otago Regional Land Transport Plan.
''The study did not rank high enough in the agency's national prioritisation programme for inclusion in the plan,'' he said.
However, when the Otago plan was reviewed in 2018, the study could be put forward again for funding consideration in the 2018-21 national plan.
Under the 2015-18 national plan just launched, funding had been provided for improving the resilience of flood-prone sections of SH1 in North Otago and safety on rural sections of highway between Oamaru and Dunedin, he said.
Earlier this year, the Waitaki District Council also asked the agency to refresh the traffic study, in particular the Frome St-Caledonian Rd and the Regina Lane-Arundel St intersections.
The council had received public submissions on traffic issues in north Oamaru, including around the business area and at intersections with SH1, particularly the Regina Lane-Arundel St intersection which was used by trucks..
The agency said it had one complaint in the past two years about Regina Lane, but it had not been raised as a problem by the trucking industry.
''The agency monitors the safety and efficiency of intersections on its network through its contractors and various customer feedback systems,'' Mr Duncan said.
