[rustynutz]

BY MARK HINCHLIFFE
19 SEP, 2016

Reduced speed zones on the famed Oxley Highway have prompted outrage from riders and sparked a petition to reverse and stop the spread of reduced speed zones along the NSW route.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION

The petition over the “ridiculous” speed changes has been started by Wauchope resident Ken Heasley after reading about it on Motorbike Writer last week.

“I live in Wauchope and ride the Oxley highway to Gingers Creek every Sunday and have done so for 15 years,” he says.

“I first heard of these changes, as ‘proposed changes’ maybe four years ago at a community event at the golf club. Now, out of nowhere, the changes are taking effect.

“They gave us no warning. No published ads or TV or radio ads, nothing. There was no formal notification. Just the neon signs that have only been there a few days at most.”

Ken has addressed his petition to the Roads and Maritime Minister Duncan Gay and each time a rider signs it, an email alert will be sent to the Minister’s office.“I and probably thousands of others are cheesed off to say the least.”

The Oxley Highway joins several other great motorcycle roads in Australia with reduced speed limits in an apparent effort to reduce motorcycle crashes. The infamous list includes Mt Glorious Rd, The Great Ocean Rd, The Putty Rd, Bells Line Of Road and The Great Northern Rd.

A Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson says speed zones will change at three locations in the 30km stretch between Wauchope and Long Flat “to improve safety for all road users”.

“The need for these speed zone changes were identified in the Oxley Highway Route Safety Review.”

The reduced speed zones include an 80km/h zone dropping to 60km/h near Wauchope and the 100km/h zone near Long Flat reduced to 60km/h.

Over the next year, they are expected to extend up into the mountains with the 100km/h reduced to 70km/h and the 110km/h out to Walcha reduced to 100km/h.

While the reduced seed zones may not slow traffic, they will increase the level of fines for those who ride the highway at the same speed they do now.

Veteran motorcycle journo Mick Matheson says the Oxley Highway is a road all riders should travel at least once in their lives. (See his video below.)

Riding the Best Roads in Australia: The Oxley Highway - YouTube

Unless this petition is successful, it looks like you will have to ride this road within the next year to enjoy its treasures at a legal speed.

[rustynutz]

Most likely it's not gonna change a thing but if people don't at least try then things definitely won't... 

[rustynutz]

Has anyone from this forum besides me bothered to sign? 

[rustynutz]

Already there are numerous roads here in Victoria with totally ridiculous speed limits...
Go for a drive up in the Dandenongs and you'll find 60kph speed limits abound.
Travel the Great Ocean Road and you'll find most of it has a 80kph (or less) speed limit.
Even some of the roads in my local area have speed limits of 80kph, which, not so long ago were 100kph...

It's getting that way that you might as well leave your car or motorcycle in the garage as it's getting ever harder to "enjoy" a drive or ride out in the country...

Sadly though, if the lack of response to this thread is any indication, most people either don't give a sh*t or can't even be bothered to think of the "BIGGER" picture... 

[rustynutz]

Outrage grows over Oxley speed clamp

BY MARK HINCHLIFFE
22 SEP, 2016

Rider and local community outrage is growing over the reduction of speeds on the famed Oxley Highway motorcycle and tourism route.

In less than two days, a petition organised by local rider Ken Healey against the speed reductions has attracted almost 4000 signatures.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION

Meanwhile, local business people are organising meetings with the Roads and Maritime Services, Motorcycle Council of NSW chairman Chris CJ Burns is planning to meet with the Minister Duncan Gay and local TV and newspaper media have publicised the issue and its affect on business and tourism.

So far, the speed limit reductions are only in three areas east of the ranges, but there are plans over the coming 12 months to reduce the speed on the mountains from 100km/h to 70km/h and the 110km/h section to Walcha down to 100km/h.

CJ says it all not only affect the region’s tourism potential, but also business with increased travel times for goods/services and locals.

Veteran motorcycle journalist Mick Matheson, who produced the tourism video above describes the speed changes as “ridiculous because it’s hard to exceed the limit anyway, so what’s the point?”

“It will only succeed in annoying people who can safely maintain a higher average without danger,” he says.

“The police will only be able to enforce it where it’s safe (ie, straight) enough to exceed the new slow limits, so there’s no road safety benefit.

“It looks to me like another case of either revenue raising or trying to get motorcycles off that piece of road. They’ll end up with another situation like the Old Pacific Highway, where even a diesel ute driver has to constantly watch the speedo. Stupid.”

Local rider and businessman Craig Windsor says outrage is growing among the business community and is organising a meeting between local businesses affected by the changes and RMS representatives.

Motorbike Writer has also contacted several tourist operators and business people in the region who have expressed outrage with the changes, especially the fact that they were not consulted.

Toni Heaney of the popular riders’ cafe, the Walcha Royal Hotel, says they are “very concerned”.

“It came to light over a week ago and we organised an immediate appointment with Jack Ohara (Walcha Council manager) who was unaware of any changes to the Oxley speeds. He is wanting to support us in any way,” she says.

Toni says business owners along the Oxley are getting their “strategies” in place to fight the speed changes.

The issue isn’t one that just causes outrage in this region as riders come from throughout the nation to ride the famed road.

It is also an example of how great motorcycle roads in Australia are being destroyed with reduced speed limits in an apparent effort to reduce motorcycle crashes. The infamous list also includes Mt Glorious Rd, The Great Ocean Rd, The Putty Rd, Bells Line Of Road and The Great Northern Rd.

Isn’t it time we took a stand on this nanny state approach to road safety?

Source: Outrage grows over Oxley speed clamp - Motorbike Writer

[Surferdude]

Sadly though, if the lack of response to this thread is any indication, most people either don't give a sh*t or can't even be bothered to think of the "BIGGER" picture... 

Or.................................... you could respect the fact that others have different views to yours and have exercised their option to refrain from sharing them.

[rustynutz]

I could, and do... 

but I still believe that most don't give a sh*t...

[eye30]

IMO speed limits are reduced or max set for a reason and not just done on a whim.

Not living in oz i do not know the area/roads the article is about.

Here in uk there is a favourite road used by bikers, cat and fiddle, which a limit has now been applied due to the number of bad and sometimes fatal accidents.

I recall at the time there was an out cry but now all including bikers, see the reduced limit as a good thing.

Although you will still get those that ignore the limit overall it has been a success and reduced accidents.

Imo reduced speed limit will help save $$$ in the longer term i.e. repairs, medical etc

[rustynutz]

There's always a "reason" for reducing speed limits, Lester...
"Supposedly" reducing accidents is a favourite...
But, artificially low speed limits just encourage drivers to "break the law", which, I suspect is the general idea... 

I don't believe for a second that our lawmakers actually want us to obey speed limits, not when State Governments like Victoria, rely on ever increasing revenue from fines.  Here's an example: In this years State Budget they budgeted for:

• revenue to rise by $20 million in 2016/17
   
• Speed camera fines to rise by $2 million to $347 million
   
• On the spot police fines rise by $3 million to $138 million
  

[The Gonz]

So let's all give the government what it really deserves for its underhanded behaviour - don't speed!

[rustynutz]

If revenue dropped they'd just reduce speed limits even more and make up yet a few more offences to make up the shortfall, Gonz... 

[rustynutz]

People power halts Oxley speed changes

BY MARK HINCHLIFFE
29 SEP, 2016

A petition to halt reduced speed zones on the famed Oxley Highway has helped call a halt to the changes, at least for now, with a motorcycle rally planned for November.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION

The petition over the “ridiculous” speed changes was started last week by Wauchope resident Ken Healey after reading about it on Motorbike Writer and has already topped more than 5000 signatures.

Ken says the petition and a meeting he called this week between 20 local business people, local MP Melinda Pavey and the Roads and Martime Services has successfully achieved a “stay of execution” for the speed changes.

However, the fight continues and riders are encouraged to continue to sign the petition and join the motorcycle protest rally.

Ken says Melinda was “very concerned” about the impact on the businesses that serve the motorcycle tourism industry on the Oxley Highway.

The proposed speed limit changes of up to 30km/h in some places were only one of 14 recommendations in a July 2105 Oxley Highway Route Safety Review.

“The RMS were supplied with statistics they were unaware of, caught out being deceptive in relation to their own review report, but were very open to the opposition to the changes,” Ken says.

“For now, there has been a stay of execution with the RMS going back to consider the new information and the limits will remain the same. We anticipate an answer in approximately a month.”

He says residents and business people consider it “highly unlikely” they will still proceed with the reduced speed limits.

“They have met with huge community opposition which has taken them by surprise,” Ken says.

“The meeting went really well and the RMS left feeling good about it all. They were happy and  think they will return again. There were no hot heads. Everyone got to say their piece of mind and ask questions.”

Tamworth MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Roads, Kevin Anderson, has also claimed a hand in halting the speed changes after holding meetings with RMS officials and NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay.

Ken says residents are now organising a motorcycle rally on November 5 or 12 with riders and supporters meeting in Walcha and Wauchope and riding to Gingers Creek with police escorts.

Stay tuned for more details on the rally.

Source: People power halts Oxley speed changes - Motorbike Writer

[Dazzler]

That sounds promising. 

[rustynutz]

Yes, good to hear they have at least taken it on board...

Probably just delaying the inevitable though as we all know reducing speed limits is the ultimate answer to everything...