Speed limit to stay at 50

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33649, 26 September 1974, Page 16

Speed limit to stay at 50

\\ ELI LN'GTON. September 25. The Minister of Iransport Si. Basil \rthuri has no intention o reconsidering the 5(1 m.p.h. speed limit

' “There has been a lot of editorial and other comment suggesting that the 50 m.p.h limit should again be reviewed." Sir Basil said in a statement todax. "I can state quite categorically that the Government has no intention whatever of reviewing the situation at this stage." Sir Basil said he would wait at least until figures were available from a full 12 months of the lower limit before reconsidering the decision "No review is therefore likely bv the Road Safetv Select Committee until well into next year." he said. The 50 m.p.h. limit was unfair on some roads where single motorists were booked for speeding, said a former Minister of Transport. Mr J. B. Gordon (Nat., Clutha). commenting on Sir Basil’s statement. Mr Gordon, who is a member of the Select Committee.

said he would not, in v iew Sir Basil's determinatiqi. seek to have the commute review the limit this vear Some members of the i ■■ mittee. he said, would be diappointed bv Sir Basil s den sion “But 1 am still of the v cv that the rule of thumb revom mended bv the Ministrv o Transport — that a speec limit should he set at a spee< not exceeded by more than per cent of motorists - should be applied in X<-» Zealand.' Mi Gordon s.tui "We now face the sun.i tion where the mean speed most highways is in the uppi i fifties and lower sixties — and about 68 m.p.h. on one South Island highwav "It is unfair for a single or a solo motorist to be caught and charged with .- breach of the 50 m.p.h. limn when a convoy or group o motorists, proceeding steadilv and safelv at 58 m.p.h. . more, are not stopped — because it is neither practiia nor justifiable — bv a radai unit. Evidence to this effeci has been given by the Minis trv to two Select Commit tees." Mr Gordon said.