The first 30km of the mountain section on the famed Oxley Highway wins a short-term reprieve from speed zone decreases, thanks to a petition and meetings with officials.
Petition organiser and speed zone protester Ken Healey, of Wauchope, says a second meeting with Roads and Maritime representatives has won a “stay of execution”, but only until Christmas.
He still urges people to sign his petition which is close in on 6000 signatures.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION
The petition over the “ridiculous” speed changes was started by Ken after reading about the speed zone changes in Motorbike Writer.
He says the petition and a second meeting at Mt Seaview with RMS representatives on September 27 have forced them do a review on their plans to reduce the 30km mountain stretch from 100km/h to 70km/h.
He says they expect a decision before Christmas.
“So we have had a fairly big win and have made the RMS think twice,” he says.
“Let’s keep the pressure on and please get as many people as you can to sign the petition.”
The speed zones already implemented on September 19 will remain, at least for now:- Reduced from 60km/h to 50km/h on a 2.5 kilometre section of the highway, west of Beechwood Road to the Wauchope cemetery
- Reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h on a three kilometre section of the highway, west of Bagnoo Road to Long Flat village
- Reduced from 60km/h to 50km/h through Long Flat village.
Other proposed speed zone changes over the next year are:
Long Flat to Walcha
- Mountain section – reduce from 100km/h to 70km/h for 27km (now halted pending a review)
- Next section – reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h for 4km (status unknown)
- Reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h for 8.3km starting 75km east of Walcha township (status unknown)
Walcha
- Reduce from 110km/h to 100km/h for 2km starting east of Hartford Road to west of Hartford Road. This is a transition zone leading into Walcha township (status unknown)
Gunnedah
- Reduced from 80km/h to 50km/h for about 700 metres west of Alford Street on the Oxley Highway (status unknown)
John Oxley Drive and Wrights Road
- Increase from 90km/h to 100km/h between Wrights Road and John Oxley Drive (western occurrence). (This is expected to be implemented following the completion of road upgrade work on this section expected late this year.)
The proposed speed limit changes were only one of 14 recommendations in a July 2105 Oxley Highway Route Safety Review. 
Local MP Melinda Pavey who attended the meetings with the RMS says she “very concerned” about the impact on local businesses that serve the motorcycle tourism industry on the Oxley Highway.