Editorial: Missed chance to plug our city

The New Zealand Transport Agency declined the request, saying it contradicted their work to create 'a truly safe transport system'. Photo / George Novak

Every time I drive over the new Parton Rd overbridge between Tara Rd and Bell Rd, I catch a glimpse of the new section of the Tauranga Eastern link that will eventually take you straight through to Paengaroa.

It's incredibly straight, wide and flat.

It stretches into the distance as far as you can see and reminds me of my first trip to America where I was constantly amazed by how you could drive on straight, flat highways for hours on end.

Enterprising Tauranga man Shane Plummer had a great idea to showcase the amazing feat of engineering and construction of the new road by holding a New Zealand land speed record attempt on the new stretch before it opens - but the authorities have put the kibosh on it.

The New Zealand Transport Agency declined the request, saying it contradicted their work to create "a truly safe transport system [that] needs safe roads, safe vehicles, safe road use and safe speeds".

Read the story here: Safety policy foils Bay speed-record bid

I understand where they are coming from.

No one wants the new highway to become a race track for boy racers who will put other lives at risks.

But I don't think the event would make the road be seen as a race track any more than it would be anyway.

The sort of people who want to go fast will give it a try regardless of whether the road is used for a race or not. They need no prompting.

Surely this proposal was a bit different. Surely the NZ Transport Agency could have worked with Mr Plummer to make the event happen.

The road would have been closed, it would have only been professionals taking part and all the necessary safety measures would have been in place.

It would have been a great event for the city.

Mr Plummer's proposal was detailed and he even had the backing of Mayor Stuart Crosby and Bay of Plenty Tourism chief executive Rhys Arrowsmith.

I agree with Mr Arrowsmith, not only would it be a great event but: "I can't think of a better way to show New Zealand that access to the Bay of Plenty just got quicker and that we are on track to be the fastest-growing region in New Zealand."