OPEN ROAD LIMIT

Press, Volume C, Issue 29523, 26 May 1961, Page 15

OPEN ROAD LIMIT

A.A. Supports 55 m.p.h.

The Automobile Association (Canterbury) adheres to its decision that the speed limit on the open road should be raised to 60 miles an hour, but supports a proposal from the Transport Department to increase the limit to 55 miles an hour.' At a meeting of the association's council last evening, the representative on the Christchurch Metropolitan Road Safety Committee (Dr R. G. Mathieson) reported that the Transport Department had asked for views on raising the sneed limit on the open road to 55 miles an hour. The committee. in turn, was seeking the opinion of local motoring organisations. Dr. Mathieson said he knew the association's aim was to achieve a 60 miles an hour limit, but the question was “Yes” or ‘‘No’’ to the pronosal for 55 miles an hour. Secret checks of vehicles made by the Transport Department on favourable sections of road had indicated that 25 ner cent, to 50 per cent, of the cars exceeded 50 miles an hour, said Dr. Mathieson. “On the average. only about 15 per cent have been found to exceed 54 miles an hour: therefore 55 miles an hour would seem quite realistic."

’’l have grave doubts if those figures showing the percentage of people who travel more than 54 miles an hour is a real one,” said Mr E. C. Champion. "While I don’t question the accuracy of the figures—they were obviously carefully taken—let us be honest. How many people on a trip to Dunedin would keep to. 54 miles an hour?” Mr F W. Freeman: You must remember the people who are driving old cars. With modern cars capable of higher speeds in safetv and having braking to match the increased performance. 60 miles an hour did seem a reasonable figure, said the president (Mr E. R, Casbolt).