The Star News poll revealed 59 per cent agree, 38 per cent said the speed limit should stay at 100km/h and 3 per cent said it should decrease to 80km/h.
“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 100km/h to 120km/h 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 make 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 120km/h 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 100km/h 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 120km/h would be too fast but he is open to a 110km/h limit.
“110km/h on a lot of these kinds of roads is acceptable. 120km/h is probably too fast. People often go 5 or 10km/h over the speed limit anyway.”
In his submission, Broughton also supported returning the speed limit back to 100km/h from 80km/h 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 60km/h speed limit on the more winding and hilly section from Little River to Akaroa.
