All over a 500m stretch of local road — far from any state highway.
The Waikaia community in Northern Southland have built some mountain bike trails in the Waikaia forest and with the anticipated increase in the number of cyclists, wanted to change the speed limit of the roads near the forest.
The Ardlussa Community Board had consulted with the community, had a public meeting, and had community agreement to change the speed limit on the roads from 100kmh to 60kmh.
The matter went to the Southland District Council in February and the council decided it would seek an exemption from the NZ Transport Authority director of land transport to get approval to change the speed limit.
Changes in blanket speed laws meant the council needed an exemption from the director as the government had significantly lifted the requirements for councils to set and substantiate speed limit changes.
But the council has not got its wish.
The director has turned down the request in a three-paragraph email saying the consultation requirements had not been carried out so it could not be allowed.
Now the council must decide at a meeting today whether to go through a formal consultation period despite the community board which covers the area having talked to the community.
Cr Matt Wilson had led the call to seek an exemption as that is what the community wanted and it had already consulted the community.
Cr Wilson said, when contacted yesterday he was "baffled" by the decision
"It almost like renders the entire process of consultation as useless because we’re not able to even listen to what, some of the good ideas that might come out of the community," he said.
"Then as elected representatives, just look at it and, and make a rational decision on the roads that essentially we own or we manage and fund.
"I can understand like a school on a main road in Auckland being slowed down, and that contributing to peak hour traffic, holdups and commutes and things like that. I can get that, but I think a town like Waikaia trying to do some cool stuff in their community? Is that the same thing?"
He said it was frustrating to have to jump through so many hoops to get something done that the community he represented really wanted.
"You have national direction on one hand, but then it also completely goes against their campaign on localism and allowing local decision making. I’m really disappointed by it and just baffled and it really kind of made me wonder, what the state of local government in 2025 really is.
"I could understand why people may choose to just not even partake in representing their community if there’s no ability to actually do anything."
A first term councillor, he was undecided on whether he would stand again.
"I’m not interested in cutting ribbons or handing out community service awards. I want to see democratically elected representatives of their community actually be able to represent their community right up the chain to Wellington, but there’s a system that, you know, blocks you at every turn."
He said the process could have been better, as the letter from the Ardlussa Community Board should have come in front of the council before the application for the exemption was sent away.
The director had said to the council it was aware of the need to move quickly with the Waikaia trail opening soon — it opened last week.
