Road safety concerns lead to petition

Concerns about road safety have prompted the Moutere Hills Residents’ Association to start a petition to drop speed limits on the Moutere Highway and through the village.

Chairman Nathan Silcock says the petition, which can be found here, is aimed at reducing the 100 kmph speed limit on the highway to 80 kmph between the Lower Moutere School and Redwood Valley Rd.

It also proposes a reduced speed limit through the Upper Moutere village to 40 kmph and a pedestrian crossing near the Upper Moutere School, though he says the crossing has been included in the petition for discussion.

He says the lowering the speed limit has been mooted in the past, then it was raised at the AGM and that led to the petition.

“There was a lot of concern expressed. The community was mainly worried about speed, but also general safety, both in and around the village and further afield. There was particular concern around the school and at school times – traffic is just moving too fast and the risks are too high.”

In the village, Nathan says the footpath in front of the few stores is quite narrow for pedestrians when cars are passing at 50 kmph and he is “pretty confident” many drivers are driving faster than the limit. Along the highway, especially between the village and the Lower Moutere School, he says it is not safe to drive at 100 kmph.

“People think they can do 100, but they really can’t.”

Between the village and Redwood Valley Rd, he says most drivers slow down already to navigate bends over the hill, and those who do not should, especially when it is frosty in winter.

Nathan says it’s hard to know exactly how the group will use the petition, but it will raise awareness and ultimately it will be a great way for the community to show support for change.