The government yesterday announced 38 sections of the state highway network would revert to their previous higher speed limits over the next five months.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said a further 49 sections of the network might change and would be put out for public consultation "so local communities could have their say on either keeping their current speed limit or returning to the higher speed".
The only highway in the South to be included for consultation is the section of SH94 (the Milford Road) between the Homer Tunnel and Milford Sound.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times yesterday, Fiordland Community Board chairwoman Diane Holmes said she believed the government should keep the current speed limit.
"What a weird thing to do. I wouldn’t like to see tourists driving 100kmh ... I wouldn’t like to see anybody driving 100km there.
"There was a good reason to change it down and it just does seem like a waste to change it back up."
She said there were residential areas such as Manapouri where the community was asking for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to lower speed limits, but their requests were ignored.
"They even did a 200-person petition to NZTA to try and lower the speed limit entering the town from 70kmh to 50kmh, but they said no because the residential buildup is only on one side of the road.
"This [increasing the speed limit from 80kmh to 100kmh] is a waste of money and I don’t think it should even be consulted because consultations cost money."
Trips & Tramps manager director Steve Norris agreed.
"To be fair, on those sections of the road, you’d be doing exceptionally well to get to 100kmh anyway, because they’re quite windy corners ... You’re probably more doing 60kmh to 80kmh anyway.
"I guess my short answer would be save the money. You might as well just leave it as it is because it probably doesn’t actually achieve a hell of a lot anyway."
Rosco’s Milford Kayaks owner Rosco Gaudin said it was a "push" to achieve 80kmh on that stretch of road.
"Tourism buses probably go much slower than that. I don’t think 100kmh is hit very often, to be honest."
Former Milford Sound kayak guide Andrew Hill saw near-misses for years on a daily basis and even witnessed two fatal crashes.
"What a stupid idea to raise the limit ... These are some of the most extreme road conditions in the country with extreme weather, hairpin bends that can be covered in black ice, sheer cliffs with sheer drops and overseas drivers with no experience of these kinds of roads wanting to look at the view.
"More people would die and it would do the tourist industry no good at all."
Public consultation begins today and runs for six weeks.
