Summarised by Centrist
Auckland Transport (AT) faces criticism for relying on reports evaluating its speed reduction programme, authored by an engineer who previously worked on the very programme he reviewed.
The independent reviews, conducted by Lewis Martin after joining consultancy Abley, have been labelled “marking your own homework” by some, raising concerns about potential bias.
The reports praised AT’s speed reduction efforts, though they contained caveats such as small sample sizes and pandemic-related disruptions. Critics argue that any perceived conflict of interest, especially one overlooked by AT, casts doubt on the programme’s credibility.
AT defended the process, stating that proper peer review checks were in place and that external data was used in the evaluations.
They continue to rely on the evaluations to push for further speed reductions across the city, despite questions about their objectivity.
The current National-led Government is seeking to reverse some of the reductions due to economic impacts, while AT and safety advocates argue the lower limits save lives.
Editor’s note: Centrist has covered claims about speed reduction benefits extensively. For more, see the articles linked here, here, here, here, and here. Isn’t this really just about how much your politics align with government control and a prioritisation of safety over other considerations, including such simple things as the enjoyment of driving.
Read more over at The NZ Herald (paywalled)
