The Star News poll revealed 59 percent agree, 38 percent said the speed limit should stay at 100kmh and 3 percent said it should decrease to 80kmh.
“You could say it’s a straight road, but you only need a bit of driver error or distraction and you end up with a mess, with potentially worse injuries and higher fatalities,” Cotter said.
Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton has supported raising the speed limit from 100kmh to 120kmh between Rolleston and Brougham St in a letter to the Ministry of Transport on behalf of the district council last month.
He said improved travel times between Rolleston and Christchurch made a speed limit increase worthwhile.
“(Selwyn District) council considers increasing the speed limit of the motorway between Rolleston and Brougham St will assist in improving efficiency and connectivity while still being safe,” he wrote.
A 120kmh speed limit would save about two minutes of travel time along the about 20km stretch between Rolleston and Brougham St.
Cotter said any travel time saved was not worth the risk.
“I think 100kmh is plenty fast enough. I don’t know why we’re so obsessed with speed and getting there quicker.
“What do we really get out of those few seconds we save compared to the risks?”
AA Canterbury and West Coast chair John Skevington said 120kmh would be too fast but he was open to a 110kmh limit.
“110kmh on a lot of these kinds of roads is acceptable. 120kmh is probably too fast. People often go 5 or 10kmh over the speed limit anyway.”
In his submission, Broughton also supported returning the speed limit to 100kmh from 80kmh on State Highway 75 between Halswell and Little River.
“This rural section is flat and easy to drive, with long straights that do not warrant such an onerous blanket speed restriction,” he wrote.
Broughton also supported maintaining the lower 60kmh speed limit on the more winding and hilly section from Little River to Akaroa.
