700 tickets in seven hours

IAIN MCGREGOR/Waikato Times

SPEED TRAP: The stretch of SH1 in Huntly where a speed camera caught 700 motorists.

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A speed camera snapped more than 700 motorists in a seven-hour shift on State Highway 1 in Huntly last week.

But the massive ticket bonanza may have the unintended consequence of leading to higher speeds being legalised through Huntly and hundreds of speedsters being let off.

The ticket numbers were revealed at a meeting of the Waikato District Council roading committee this week. It has prompted the council to ask the New Zealand Transport Agency to increase the speed limit on the 50kmh stretch of road through the town.

Waikato roading policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman agreed it was perhaps time to take another look at what was the best speed limit for this stretch of road between Bell's Crossing and the north of the town and the southern end of the Huntly bypass.

If the limit was raised, Mr Tooman would recommend tickets not be issued.

The Huntly speed camera haul was one of the highest on record for Waikato mobile speed cameras, which come into play when speeds are 11kmh over the limit.

Councillor Graeme Tait suggested the Huntly bypass speed limit was set at 50kmh in recognition of the fact people would always exceed it.

"We get speeds of 60-65 at present," he said. "If it was lifted to 70kmh, they would be doing 80kmh".

But fellow Huntly councillor Shirley Boyde said the speed limit should be lifted to at least 60kmh on that stretch, given it was a part of SH1 with few exits.

Council roading manager Ian Gooden said it would actually be safer to have a 70kmh speed limit, because traffic would be consistently travelling at the same speed and it would be easier for people to estimate times and distances.

Meanwhile Inspector Tooman said it was probably time to look at the speed limit there. The Times lobbied for motorists to be let off the fines if the Huntly speed limit was raised.

"It's not really my call," Mr Tooman said.

"But I will make a recommendation on it. It's good that it came to our attention. Maybe the speed is inappropriate, and we have to be fair."

- © Fairfax NZ News