Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown has indicated they may have to put the handbrake on their slower school speed zones because he doesn’t think they’re working.

The 30kph school safety speed zones have been in place around urban schools since the council implemented them in mid-July, but Brown is now doubting the effectiveness outside of school hours.

“I don’t think they are working,’’ Brown said.

“I don’t think we have made the right decision but it’s still early days.”

Brown has now called for a report on the speed limits after six months to “see if it’s workable and, if not, what we can do to make it more workable”.

He’s unaware if there had been an increase in speed infringements in the areas, but councillors have received feedback that the speed limits weren’t being obeyed.

Netherby School principal, Phil Wheeler, said the reduced speed zones are important from 8.30am to 3.30pm but are “excessive and unnecessarily slow” outside of school hours.

The 30kph zones are important to increase safety, but outside of school hours it is “dreadfully painful slowing down to 30kph to pass a school that doesn't have a single child”.

Being on a dead-end street, Netherby didn’t have a speed issue to begin with, he said.

“At least now with the signs it is clearly communicated, so no excuses.”

The lower speed zone during school hours is a welcome safety improvement but outside of school hours is redundant and needs a common sense approach, Wheeler said.

The approach will be reconsidered following the council report.

A report “isn’t a change of mind, it’s just a review of what happening” councillor Carolyn Cameron said in support of the Mayor.

Deputy Mayor Liz McMillan also wanted the report to include a cost estimate for if the council were to change to variable speed signs at all the sites.

“I know that was quite a factor in the decision and that the variable signs were going to cost thousands of dollars as opposed to a 30kph sign which is hundreds of dollars,” McMillan said.

Councillor Tony Todd had opposed the permanent speed zones.

“If we could move to the variable signs then not only I will be delighted but probably most of the drivers around the urban area will be delighted too because not many of them are doing 30kph.”

Mayor Brown was quick to respond, saying it was not signalling a shift to variable signs but they “may be an outcome of the review”.

The council opted for permanent speed zones at urban schools and variable speed signs at rural locations because variable signs are estimated to cost around $10,000 each.

By Jonathan Leask