Re: ‘State Highway 2 speed limit debate rages on’, published pages 6-7 in The Weekend Sun February 7 edition.

I have lived in Katikati since 1995, and have seen the SH2 ‘management’ deteriorating every year! Wrong measures – based upon ‘paternalising’ – are taken.

It’s always about ‘safety and speed’, which should be the responsibility of the road users themselves.

The real reasons are - in my opinion: The lack of proper driving training; drinking and drug abuse; the total lack of overtaking facilities, continuously reduced since 1995; and the slow traffic making drivers ‘sleepy’ and creating variable, inconsistent speeds.

The Bay of Plenty has many elderly people, careful with their lives – and rightly so – but they become slow drivers which is frustrating for other road users, who start to make risky overtake manoeuvres leading to accidents.

As a holiday destination, the BOP attracts many vacationers, who tow caravans, boats, trailers, etc. Slowing down traffic as well; again, frustrating other road users.

The solution: To the contrary of what NZTA currently is doing – ie. medium barriers and wide yellow lining – is widening the roads and adding as many passing lanes as possible between Waihī and Tauranga.

In that case 100km per hour is a safe speed on the second most important highway leading to the biggest port of New Zealand.

Erik Becker, Tanners Point