A Tauranga man wants the NZ Transport Agency to put a stop to illegal parking on Maungatapu bridge by revamping a long-forgotten recreational area.
Barry Benton has been urging the NZ Transport Agency to have a look at creating a rest area on a piece of flat land just over the Maungatapu bridge, heading towards Mount Maunganui.
The space, to the northeast of the bridge, was once a popular picnic and fishing reserve, according to Mr Benton, who said there was already an old road underneath overgrown scrub on the site.
The area would provide access to an inner-city beach and ski lane and stop illegal parking and would create a rest area for tired drivers.
"At present people park illegally on the side of the road to access the beach to go fishing, and swimming, it's a busy highway and it is dangerous," he said. "Clearing this area up would give them somewhere to park and have a family day out. It would also be great for tired drivers, giving them a beautiful spot to pull over for a sleep or for a cup of tea."