Tapanui's policeman wants the speed limit signs shifted further out of town as he has noticed some drivers fail to slow down when entering the town.
At a West Otago Community Board meeting last week, Senior Constable John Mawhinney said he was concerned too many people were failing to slow down as they entered Tapanui from the south.
He planned to ask the NZ Transport Agency if the 100km speed signs could be shifted. He said the position of the signs was too close to residential properties in Dorset St.
Snr Const Mawhinney said his ability to police those entering the township was hampered by the fact there was no real buffer zone for transition of speed down from 100kmh to 50kmh.
This meant a lot of traffic sped past several houses at close to the higher speed limit. This was a "reasonably constant occurrence" at night. New Zealand police had a policy of not ticketing motorists within 250m of a speed sign for transitioning.
In Tapanui, the policy meant there were at least 10 residential properties within the transitional buffer zone.
"In my view they [the signs] should be further out of town, near or past the Tapanui sign."
Snr Const Mawhinney said he was constantly fielding complaints about speed from residents in Dorset St.
As a result, he had been policing the 50kmh speed limit with "some vigour".
Snr Const Mawhinney said if the signs were relocated at least 200m south of the current position it would allow for a buffer zone prior to the residential zone for northbound vehicles.He asked for support from the West Otago Community Board.
"We can avoid an incident where someone may suffer injury."
In response to questions from the Otago Daily Times, NZTA senior safety engineer Roy Johnston said the procedure for changing speed limits involved deciding to review a speed limit, consulting on the proposed change, considering submissions and confirming the change will be made.
"After this, a bylaw is created to include the speed limit change by notice in the New Zealand Gazette."
Mr Johnstone said the process might change slightly from September 21 when the new setting of speed limits takes effect.
"Under the new rule, if concerns are expressed about the safety of a road, then the transport agency would engage with the community to agree on the nature of the risk first and if a change to the speed limit is an appropriate response."
He said the presence of safety issues, intersections and access ways to properties could alter the desirable safe and appropriate speed for a location.
