Police are shocked by the speeds they detected at road works during a recent operation along South Island's stretch of State Highway One, and are urging motorists to obey the temporary speed signs put up by the workers.
"They are not suggested speeds - they are the legal limit while the signs are displayed," says Canterbury's Acting Road Policing Manager, Senior Sergeant Neville Hyland. "Anyone found exceeding those limits will receive a ticket."
The worst site was the Kaiapoi River Bridge on Christchurch's Northern Motorway, where 40 tickets were issued in four hours over two days at the end of March.
"At these road works we found cars travelling up to 98 km/h and trucks up to 75 km/h just two metres from workers, through road works marked with a 50 km/h limit," says Hyland. "Workers and motorcyclists are particularly at risk from flying stones and loose surfaces mean loss-of-control accidents are much more likely. One small mistake could easily cost a workman his life."
During the week-long operation, Police from all three South Island districts (Tasman, Canterbury and Southern) plus the Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit, issued 1,033 tickets on State Highway One; 372 of them for speed infringements, with 58 of those issued to heavy motor vehicles. The fastest car was travelling at 139 km/h, and the fastest truck at 106 km/h (heavy trucks must not exceed 90 km/h).
Tasman and Canterbury districts both worked towards Kaikoura and addressed issues with heavy motor vehicles along the coast. Three trucks that offended on Monday 23rd March were caught again the following night, with one company receiving five tickets. One truck was photographed by police while it was cutting a corner in Hundalee, and 15 minutes later was caught speeding on approach to Kaikoura.
Southern District was also kept busy with multiple offences, including a security money van clocked at 110 km/h on Dunedin's northern motorway twice in three days.
Officers working south of Oamaru had a busy time near Katiki when they stopped two utility vehicles, each towing a trailer carrying a car body. Offences on the first vehicle generated four fines, two court charges and the trailer was ordered off the road with serious defects. The second car generated two fines, and the driver was disqualified.
While waiting for a tow truck to collect the trailer, another car was stopped with one headlight out. This disqualified driver, trying to avoid detection, gave a friend's name but the deception failed when checks showed the friend was wanted for failing to appear in court.
The work along State Highway One was part of Operation Tahi, a five-month effort to improve safety on the main highway from Picton to Bluff. Ending in June, Tahi will repeatedly cycle through target phases including speed, high-risk driving, seat belts and alcohol.
Tasman District contact:
Senior Sergeant Eric Davy, Highway Patrol (03) 547 6212
Inspector Hugh Flower, Road Policing Manager (03) 546 3840
Canterbury District contact:
Senior Sergeant Neville Hyland, Acting Road Policing Manager (03) 363 7400
Southern District contact:
Senior Sergeant Stephen Larking, Highway Patrol (03) 471 4800
Inspector Andrew Burns, Road Policing Manager (03) 471 4800