The city council has revealed what roads it is planning to consider if it undertakes a speed limit review of the Wigram Skies area.
It is looking to lower the speed limit of roads in the Wigram Skies subdivision from 50km/h to 40km/h – including Lodestar Ave.
But city council staff will first undertake a pre-assessment of the proposed speed limit review by discussing it with organisations including police, Wigram Primary School and businesses.
It will then report to the newly Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board (following the elections) next month which will decide if the speed limit review goes ahead and out for public consultation.
It comes after Lady Wigram Retirement Village residents, who have been calling for heavy vehicle restrictions to be placed on Lodestar Ave, were left disappointed when they were left out of a speed limit review for Halswell and Hornby wards.
For the past four years, noisy trucks on Lodestar Ave have been a long-standing issue for residents living at the retirement village.
A Lodestar Ave resident, who did not wish to be named, said he was pleased something is happening and is hoping it will be done quickly.
But he said while it is bound to help it will not solve the problem.
“You can put a speed limit on anything but how do you make trucks and cars adhere to it?” the resident said.
A memorandum on the review in will come to the Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board today.
City councillor Anne Galloway said the speed limit review of Lodestar Ave is “well overdue.”
She said representatives from Kilmarnock Enterprises, which are located on Lodestar Ave will be speaking about their concerns at the meeting today.
The social enterprise provides employment, training and support to people with disabilities.
Cr Galloway said because Kilmarnock employs people with disabilities, it is dangerous for them to cross the road.
She hoped their presentation to the board would add “weight” to the need to make Lodestar Ave safer.
The city council is also planning to lower the speed limit from 60km/h to 50km/h on Awatea Rd (from Wilmers Rd to the Christchurch Southern Motorway bridge.
The same speed limit changes are considered for Wigram Rd (from Awatea Rd to Hayton Rd) and all of Owaka Rd.
The review will also look at intersection controls, no stopping restrictions and cycle lanes in the Wigram Skies area.
If it goes ahead, consultation will begin either next month or November.
It is expected if any changes are made it will be approved by the city council by February.
