December 15, 2017

Calling on Councils to implement safer rural speed limits

National groups representing pedestrians, horse-riders, cyclists, and users of mobility devices are calling on Councils across the country to implement safer rural speed limits.

The attached letter has been posted to the CEO of every Council in New Zealand and is endorsed by:

• The New Zealand Cycle Trail
• Cycling New Zealand
• Living Streets Aotearoa
• Visually Impaired Aotearoa
• NZ School Speeds
• Cycling Action Network
• NZ Horse Network

Transport planner Bevan Woodward says “New Zealand’s rural roads are often highly dangerous and intimidating for people wanting to get about on foot, horse or bicycle. It need not be this way. We’ve looked overseas at what comparable countries have done to improve their rural road safety and it’s clear that safer traffic speeds are a key part of the solution.

Typically this means 80 km/h or less on undivided rural roads. Safer speeds are the most cost-effective and immediate treatment for improving road safety.”

Safer speeds reduce both the number of crashes, and their consequences, says Patrick Morgan, Cycling Action Network spokesman. "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, so we need to make sure that no-one is seriously harmed as a result. Safer speeds are a matter of life and death."

Lucinda Rees, NZ School Speeds says “Safer speeds give New Zealanders more transport options. This is significant because New Zealand is one of the most car dependent countries in the world, resulting in a wide range of issues such as obesity, pollution, traffic congestion and the expense of vehicle ownership.”

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1712/MEDIA_RELEASE__Deadly_rural_speed_limits__Letter_to_all_Councils.pdf
ENDS

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