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Thursday, April 4, 2024

David Farrar: One warning sign in four years!


Radio NZ report:

Only one warning sign has been installed next to speed cameras four years after a government directive was issued.

The AA criticised the lack of signs aimed at reducing speeds and tickets.

The previous government in 2019 announced a “no surprises” approach to speed cameras to warn drivers to go slowly through high-risk areas.

The signs are to say “safety camera operating” next to fixed cameras.

Four years later only one of the 60 fixed speed camera spots has a warning sign.

This is astonishing. After four years, they have only put one sign up. These are not houses, they are signs.

All that had to be done was 60 identical signs to be ordered, and then contractors hired to place them next to roads.

Did the Minister’s office ask for progress reports? Were timelines set? Who was responsible?

Previous police minister Ginny Andersen said in a statement the signs were not a top priority when she was in the role compared to police recruitment, gang crime and youth crime.

So the former Minister is saying that they just did nothing.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.

4 comments:

Robert Arthur said...

the signs are an absurdity. The justifying logic is tortuous. An incredible reduction in top speeds and great standardisation has been acheived in NZ over last 30 years or so.Tedious though it may be, it is ludicrous to declare the signs. Sadly it is often visitors etc who tend to miss such signs an get hammered whilst locals slow to evade then greatly speed.

Ray S said...

Surprised not !
If signs are put up, then people will slow down.
Not good for revenue collection.

Anonymous said...

Exactly, Ray S. It's all about the money. If they were really concerned about speed then they should order thousands of such signs and put them up everywhere where one's inclined to speed up - reminding people of the legal limit - working camera or not. But, nah. Far better to generate some revenue for doing 4km under a speed that was perfectly fine a while back before they were reduced. Then there's those back country roads where the open road limit under the best of conditions is excessive.

But then what did anyone expect of Waka Kotahi - and on top of it all they now have to deal with an identity crisis. Isn't that right NZTA?

Anonymous said...

A speed sign roundel visible at all times would help eliminate inadvertent speeding - it's too easy to lose track of the current speed limit especially with constantly changing speed zones.
I understand that in the UK the local authorities are obliged to ensure they can be seen.