Two crashes on Friday morning occurred on roads under speed limit review by Whakatāne District Council.

A child was airlifted to hospital after being hit by a vehicle at the Te Teko end of Te Teko Road at about 8.30am.

Aerocool Rescue Helicopter reported the patient was seriously injured and treated on scene before being airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further urgent treatment.

About an hour later, a vehicle crashed on Ōhope Road near the passing lanes. Hato Hone St John did not have a record of attending the crash and no information is available about injuries.

Both roads are included in a speed limit review, which is open now for public consultation.

The council has proposed extending the existing 50 kmh zone of Te Teko Road near Te Teko by 325 metres, to the intersection with Okaahu Road. It is currently 100 kmh.

The consultation document states the reason for the proposed change as being because the risks associated with the current speed limit cannot be appropriately mitigated with infrastructure solutions.

On Ōhope Road, it is proposed the temporary speed limit of 60 kmh become permanent.

“Ōhope Road has a steep gradient and sharp corners, contributing to a high crash rate. High traffic volumes increase the risk of head-on collisions and serious injuries,” the document states.

“Improved safety infrastructure is very costly, and no funding is currently available.”

The proposed change is to 1.3km of road from Otarawairere Road to Pohutukawa Avenue.

Council transportation manager Ann-Elise Reynolds said road safety was a shared responsibility, with speed management one way to help improve outcomes for everyone.

“Whakatāne District Council is currently proposing speed limit changes on 19 local roads and these changes aim to reflect local conditions and support safer travel for all road users, whether you walk, bike, drive, or take a school bus.

“While no single measure can prevent every incident, lower speeds can reduce the severity of crashes and improve overall safety, especially where physical upgrades aren’t practical.”

Submissions on the speed limit changes close at 5pm on June 29. Further information is available at koreromai.whakatane.govt.nz/safer-speeds