UNIFORM SPEED LIMITS DESIRED BY MINISTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18939, 9 December 1929, Page 5

UNIFORM SPEED LIMITS DESIRED BY MINISTER.

Local Authorities 'Warned Of Defects In Existing By-laws

Area commissioners are to license public service vehicles and to regulate routes and services in Britain, stated a cable message of a few days ago. Regarding speed limits, a recentlycabled forecast of the British Bill stated that the disregarded speed limit of 20 miles an hour for motor traffic will be scrapped, and that a speed limit of 30 miles an hour will be adopted for three types of automobile (the bus, the heavier commercial vehicle, and the char-a-banc) without speed limit for the other types. In New Zealand the local authority licensing system has led to a great deal of confusion over speed limits as well as over other matters. In the course of a circular addressed to all local authorities, the Minister of Transport now points out that “ in general the only justification for local speed limits are that certain roads require protection against speeds in excess of the proposed limit, and that dangers exist against which the regulation table of speeds does not provide a sufficient safeguard.” But “ the requirements for the fixing of local speed limits do not seem-, to be clearly understood by many local bodies, and as a result prosecutions for breaches of them have often failed.” These requirements are:— “ (1) The local speed limit may not exceed that laid down in the table of speeds in regulation 15. “ (2) Whether the by-law or other authority was in force before or aftei the regulations, a copy of it must be sent to the Minister, together with a sketch plan or map of the locality show ing the position of the signs of class D. “ (3) Signs of class D under ‘the regulations must be erected as prescribed in clause (12) of regulation 16, and the signs must strictly conform to the requirements of that regulation. “ (4) Failure to comply with any of the above requirements renders any prosecution liable to be upset on a technicality. In this connection, see particularly clause (23) of regulation 16. “ The desirability of having a uniform system for determining speed limits throughout the Dominion is obvious both from the local bodies' point of view and that of the road user, and it is hoped to have the co-operation of all local authorities in seeing that these p-ovisions of the motor vehicle regulations are complied with. This co-opera-tion is sought particularly in the removal of the many out of date and un-

necessary speed limit and other signs which are still prevalent. These are quite useless for the purposes of supporting prosecutions, but result in confusion and considerable non-observance of authorised signs. “ In order to encourage a complete observance by road users of the signt that will be decided upon, it is proposed to gazette periodically, for public information, a list showing relative details of bylaws forwarded by local bodies in terms of the regulation. “It is recognised that local bodies are empowered to pass the relative bylaw before its submission to the Government, but it is suggested that the practice which has already been adopted by some, namely, that the bylaw' be submitted in draft form to the Minister of Transport before being passed could with advantage be followed by all local bodies in future. In cases when the bylaw is not concurred in, this course, if followed, would eliminate unnecessary expense to local bodies in the alteration or removal of signs and amendment of bylaws.” The desire of the Transport Department to co-operate with and not dictate to local authorities and others concerned is further shown by the following circular issued by the Commissioner of Transport, Mr J. S. Hunter:— “It is now nearly eighteen months since the motor vehicle regulations, 1928, dealing generally with the control of motor traffic on the roads, were brought into effect, and the Minister of Transport has directed me to communicate with all local authorities and other interested parties with a view to obtaining any suggestions for their amendment, curtailment or addition which practical experience of the regulations might have shown to be desirable. Any suggestions for the improvement of the other regulations dealing with motor traffic (e.g., the motor-lorry regulations) would also be welcomed and given careful consideration. It is proposed to call a small representative conference of the local bodies and other interested parties as soon as possible for the purpose <>f (inter alia) review ing these regulations and any suggestion received as a result of this com munication will be submitted to the conference. It would help if in submitting any suggestions, these were identified, by reference in numerical order, to the appropriate regulations and clause. Any replies should be forwarded to reach this office not later than January 10, 1930.”