Plan to reduce Wigram speed limits gaining momentum

A Wigram business and residents at a retirement home have welcomed the proposal to lower speed limits and improve pedestrian safety in the Christchurch suburb.

Christchurch City Council is encouraging residents to share their views on a plan to reduce speed limits in Wigram, particularly on Lodestar Ave, Stark Drive and The Runway at The Landing.

• Feedback sought on plan to lower speed limits
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The plan has been welcomed by Kilmarnock Enterprises chief executive Michael Toothill, who has advocated for speed reduction measures on Lodestar Ave for the last two years.

The social enterprise provides employment, training, and support for people with disabilities, who have been feeling unsafe when crossing the road.

He said he even had to encourage his staff to dress in hi-visibility gear, such as reflective jackets, so drivers could see them.

Said Toothill: “We’re very pleased that it’s got to this stage, but the concerns have continued to grow rather than get better. Traffic has picked up, and many cars are doing closer to 60km/h.

“But I’ll feel relieved when it’s actually been put in place. Every day something is not implemented is a risk to our employees.”

Along with the speed limit change, Toothill wanted a centre line painted on the road.

“It’s been proven that when there’s a centre line, people tend to go slower with the perception of a narrower road,” he said.

Residents at Lady Wigram Retirement Village are also calling for a lower speed limit and heavy vehicle restrictions on Lodestar Ave after long-standing issues with noisy trucks.

The city council has since proposed to reduce the speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h on Lodestar Ave and Strark Drive.

It also proposed to reduce the limit from 60km/h to 50km/h in Awatea Rd, Wigram Rd and Wilmers Rd; from 50km/h to 40km/h in the Wigram Skies, Broken Run, Awatea Park, Awatea Green and Magnolia Estate subdivisions, and from 50km/h to 30km/h at The Runway at the Landing.

City council transport operations manager Steffan Thomas said the “safer speeds will benefit residents in a growing and very popular area of the city.”

“Many families – along with several businesses – have moved to the wider Wigram area and we are very conscious of the need to ensure that speed limits support a safer environment,” he said.

“It is not just about keeping the driver and passengers of a car safe, it is also about keeping vulnerable road users safe.”

Public feedback on the draft plan closes on November 18.

A final decision is due in December, with any changes implemented by the end of January next year.