Mid Cantabrians have largely welcomed an increased speed limit on the Christchurch Southern Motorway.
The first 110kmh speed limit for the South Island was introduced on Sunday.
It applies for 17.7km from west of Weedons Rd interchange, Rolleston, to east of the Curletts Rd interchange, Addington.
Rangitata MP and Minister for the South Island James Meager said the reaction had been ‘‘overwhelmingly positive’’.
‘‘‘About time’ is a common sentence I’m hearing, along with ‘long overdue’.
People are pleased that they are going to be able to travel a little faster due to the well-built high-quality nature of the road,’’ Meager said.
In consultation last year, 68 per cent of almost 4000 submissions supported the increase.
Meager said he had been advised since the motorway opened in 2020, there had been no fatalities and only five serious crashes. The road had 38,000 vehicle movements a day.
Many commenters on a news story previewing the speed limit change on The Ashburton Courier Facebook page on Saturday welcomed the speed increase.
‘‘Great news. A well-engineered road extremely capable of having a 110kmh limit,’’ said one man.
‘‘It’s a step in the right direction,’’ said another.
