John MacDonald: The speed limit argument is looking wobbly

I reckon the Government’s argument in favour of increasing speed limits is looking more and more wobbly.

There’s no question that it’s going to happen, with Transport Minister Simeon Brown confirming at the weekend that faster speed limits will be all-go next year. 

But it seems to me that his case as to why it’s needed and why it’s a good idea, is starting to look pretty weak.

There’s an expert who is trying to sell an alternative idea which will probably have Simeon Brown laughing his head off. He’ll think it’s balmy. But I reckon it’s got some merit to it.

Simon Kingham is this expert. He’s a university academic and he used to be the Ministry of Transport’s chief science advisor. 

He’s saying that, instead of increasing the speed limits, the Government should be setting the same speed limit for every vehicle on the road.

That way, there wouldn’t be any need for cars to overtake trucks because - and for drivers to increase their risk of death or serious injury - because everyone would be doing the same speed.

This is his solution to an issue the outfit representing the trucking industry has highlighted. Which is the fact that when the speed limits go up next year it won't be for every vehicle on the road - and the maximum speed limit for trucks will stay what it is now. Which is 90 kph per hour.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wood of Morning's podcast from
News Talk said, B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
You know, I reckon the government's drive to increase speed
limits on the roads. I reckon it's looking, how to
put it, more and more wombly by the day. Well,
I mean what I mean is I reckon it's argument
and favor of increasing speed limits is looking more and
more wanmbly by the day. Because there's no question that's
going to happen. Worth Transport Minister Simeon Brown confirming at

(00:34):
the weekend that fastest speed limits will we all go
next year. But it seems to me that his case
as to why it's needed and why it's a good
idea is starting to look pretty weak. But what about this.
There's an expert today who was trying to sell an
alternative idea which will probably have Simmy and Brown laughing

(00:55):
his head off. He'll think it's barmy, but I reckon
it's got some merit to it. Now, Simon Kingham, is
this expert is a university academic. Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't
don't roll your eyes. And he used to be the
Ministry of Transports chief Science Advisor and he's saying today
that instead of increasing the speed limits, the government should

(01:15):
be setting the same speed limit for every vehicle on
the road. That way, he says, there wouldn't be any
need for cars to overtake trucks and for drivers to
increase their risk of death or serious injury because everybody
would be doing the same speed. You see. This is
his solution to an issue that the outfit representing the

(01:37):
trucking industry has highlighted, which is the fact that when
the speed limits go up next year, it won't be
for every vehicle on the road, and the maximum speed
limit for trucks will stay what it is now, which
is ninety k's per hour, So cars will be going
faster and trucks won't. And Professor Simon Kingham says all
that's going to do is encourage more drivers to overtake,
and he says more people will die and get injured

(01:59):
as a result. He says, if everybody was going the
same speed, no need for any risky for taking maneuvers.
And I think he's right on paper. On paper, sounds
like a great idea, but the reality is people are idiots.
You're an idiot, I'm an idiot, and we all think

(02:21):
the fast way is the only way, don't we And
even if cars and trucks did have the same speed
limit drivers, that's still gun it. Well into the hundreds.
If they knew the limit was nighty, that's still gunnet.
Can you imagine, by the way, let's imagine this at
the peak of summer people imagine people being content to
sit behind a truck all the way. Of course they wouldn't,
because it's all about getting there as soon as your

(02:43):
care and a That's what it's all about. There's none
of this life's about the journey talk once we get
behind the wheel. So Simon Brown's not going to be
liking what the professor is saying today about having the
same ninety k speed limit for every vehicle on the road. Oh,
it's a great idea, but only on paper, I'm pecking.
He is also not going to be liking everything the
trucking industry is saying today either, because remember about how

(03:06):
he's been banging on about how increasing speed limits is
going to get us all going faster, it's going to
increase productivity, blah blah blah blah blah. But when it
comes to productivity, that's not going to be the case
at all. Yeah, will be going faster, but nothing will
change when it comes to productivity, because, as the head
of Transporting New Zealand has confirmed, this is the outfit
representing the trucks the transport sector. It's confirmed that the

(03:29):
speed limit increases will have no direct impact on them
because trucks will still be restricted to a ninety dom
Calisia is his name, and he's saying that this increasing
productivity cell job is nonsense. But where he does see
benefits and cars being allowed to go faster, as he says,
drivers will be able to pass trucks more quickly, which

(03:51):
he reckons will reduce the amount of time drivers spend
in risky situations. He does concede, though, that if the
cars are going faster to get past the trucks, than
any supposed reduction and risk could be outweighed. I'd say
definitely be outweighed by the fact that drivers are going
at higher speeds, which of course increases the chance of
something going wrong. So, as far as I'm concerned, I

(04:14):
see these increases in speed limits confirmed by the government
of the weekend, I see them as a lose lose.
I also think that this idea being floated by this
academic today. I think it's a win win, but only
in Lala Land. And we're not in Laala Land, are we.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
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