By Geoff Kreegher (Hamilton Ratepayer)
The 2025 consultation results for this speed reduction on a section of Hamilton’s ring-road are now publicly available (See page 31). According to Hamilton City Council, 64% supported the speed reduction and 36% oppose in this latest consultation. In the 2021 consultation on this proposal, 80% opposed lowering the speed limit to 60km/h.
What caused this seeming reversal of public opinion in only four years?
Traffic, Speed Limit and Road Closure Hearings Panel Agenda, 2 April 2025, Page 35, Wairere Drive Speed Limit Reduction
Hamilton City Council is on record stating:
“Staff note that while information from the resource consent process can provide background information to understand the scope of the resource consent decision, only information which is relevant to the proposed change in speed should be relied on in coming to a decision. Information which goes to the broader effects of the supermarket development on the traffic network is irrelevant and must not be relied on in coming to a decision on speed limit.”
Infrastructure Operations Committee Agenda 7 December 2021, page 21
Despite the same subject and the same conditions, the recent consultations questions were different from the 2021 consultation.
The two options presented in the recent consultation document had additions to “allow” or “prevent” the Pak’n Save being built respectively.
“Option 1: Reduce the speed limit from 80km/h to 60km/h and allow the PAK’nSAVE supermarket to be developed under the current resource consent.
Option 2: Keep the current 80km/h speed limit, do not make any changes and prevent the PAK’nSAVE supermarket from being developed under the current resource consent.”
The 2025 consultation options, Page 25, Traffic, Speed Limit and Road Closure Hearings Panel Agenda, 2 April 2025
These additions were not part of the previous consultation, they border on propaganda. They are certainly leading questions.
In the 7 December 2021 council meeting agenda, staff stressed that the speed reduction decision should be made independently of the supermarket’s resource consent. Yet in 2025, staff and councillors promote the supermarket’s resource consent as a central issue in the public consultation and chamber debates around this speed reduction.
This is looking like another case of ‘Control the language, control the narrative, get the answer desired’.
Further reading on this issue
Consultation Closes 7 March 2025: Lowering Speed Limit on Wairere Drive, Hamilton
Opposing the planned raised platform on Wairere Drive at the Karewa Place turnoff
