Motorists using SH26 between Hamilton and Morrinsville will soon face another layer of road monitoring, with NZTA constructing a 14.7km average-speed camera zone. Some residents may remember temporary monitoring equipment appearing beside the highway earlier this year, accompanied by signs saying “this is not a speed camera.” It appears that equipment was part of the groundwork: NZTA undertakes baseline speed surveys before average-speed enforcement is introduced.

Months of hurried consultation and council work on the future shape of local government have ended, for now, with the Government putting its Head Start council reform process on hold until after the general election.