Metric motoring change delayed

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33803, 27 March 1975, Page 22

Metric motoring change delayed

Metric motoring, originally set down for New Zealand-wide introduction in April this year, has been delayed for three or four months. Ihe Ministry of Transport has not been able to arrange the alteration of the necessary legislation in time for the original date, although some legislation covering the use of metric

units in road transport has been passed. The metric speed limit signs will carry the letters "km/h' after the figures to distinguish them from m.p.h. signs. The open road limit will be set at 80 km.h (49.7 m.p.h.) with the speed limit for towing, and for heavy vehicles, at 70 km.h (43.5 m.p.h.). The limit in built-up areas will be 50 km.h (31 m.p.h.) and the railway crossing limit

will be 30 km.h (18.6 m.p.h.) The limit past a stopped school bus will be 20 km.h (12.4 m.p.h.). Motorists will not have to have metric speedometers, but the Metric Advisory Board says that drivers will be “encouraged” to mark the main metric limits on speedometers.

In such legislation as that requiring 100 yards of clear visibility while overtaking, yards will be changed to metres. A new road code will be issued in metrics, and drivers’ licence questionnaires will also be changed.