Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Letters: Readers react to Bayfair underpass decision

Bay of Plenty Times
13 Jul, 2019 01:01 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Scott Illingworth and Megan Clarkin are strongly against the NZTA's decision to shut the underpass. Photo / George Novak
Scott Illingworth and Megan Clarkin are strongly against the NZTA's decision to shut the underpass. Photo / George Novak

Scott Illingworth and Megan Clarkin are strongly against the NZTA's decision to shut the underpass. Photo / George Novak

The NZ Transport Agency's decision to scrap the proposed new underpass at the Bayfair interchange is not acceptable.

I am a very regular user of this underpass and observe it's frequent use by pedestrians as well as cyclists.

How will motorists respond to red lights stopping traffic flow to allow these people to cross?

I thought that the whole point of the very expensive interchange is to speed up traffic flow.

Why have obstacles suddenly emerged three years into the project. Surely the design engineers should have sorted this out before the flyover construction even started.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

I challenge those who have never used the underpass to go and look at it before it is demolished in September and work out how it could possibly cost $33 million dollars to replace.

An alternative must be found to a controlled pedestrian crossing of a very busy intersection.

John Douglas

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mount Maunganui

Underpass decision

I was interested to read about the problem at Bayfair where a well-used underpass is to be demolished in September, causing all sorts of grief.

The replacement underpass has been cancelled. Too expensive. There is now talk of an overbridge! As you are dealing with the NZTA, insist that the overbridge is in place before the existing underpass is demolished.

This, in my opinion, is the only way to deal with NZTA. In the past, I have found their assurances not worth a candle.

Discover more

Letters: Te Puke's growth needs to be managed

07 Jul 09:01 PM

Letters: School bus service will improve peak time traffic

08 Jul 08:00 PM

Letters: Council needs to get on and make some decisions

09 Jul 08:00 PM

Letters: Underpass has been priced to oblivion

11 Jul 10:18 PM

The War Memorial Hall at Te Puna was demolished six years ago with an assurance from NZTA that a replacement hall would be built. They have at this time got as far as a Māori blessing of the foundation stone!

So don't give up what you are using until the replacement is in place.

Good luck.

Peter Turmer

Pyes Pa

Why are we always missing out?

So now the self-proclaimed honest, transparent and open Government - decides to cancel the Baypark underpass (News, July 9) for what they state, is a variety of reasons.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Roading programmes such as the previously approved northern arterial have been cancelled; the Tauranga City Council has had a falling out with the funding agency, Transit and other roading upgrades have been either cancelled or delayed indefinitely.

Funding to Tauranga, or for that matter the wider Bay of Plenty, from the Provincial Growth Fund, PGF, has been minimal indicating another possible example of the Government expressing its displeasure of Tauranga having the Leader of the Opposition as its MP.

Winston Peters, who once upon a time could not do enough for his electorate, Tauranga, has now shifted his allegiance to Northland and haven't they benefited from investments from the Provincial Growth Fund? (Abridged)

Mike Baker

Bethlehem

NZTA needs an overhaul

The NZ Transport Agency's reasons for scrapping the Bayfair underpass are, in my view, a continuing demonstration of incompetence.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

f the estimated cost has apparently risen from $13 to $33 million, it raises significant issues, in my view, about NZTA's project development processes which are required to conform to Treasury's "Better Business Case" model.

To identify reasons that were cited in your newspaper like it has to carry the dead load of the ramps, ground improvement requirements, staging, etc confirms, in my opinion, incompetence in planning projects.

These issues and risks are basic and obvious engineering and would have identifiable in the preliminary planning. When it was around Transit NZ built the hugely complex central motorway junction and Grafton Gully motorway in Auckland and multiple other major projects within time and under budget. These were collaborations between Transit and the private sector. NZTA needs a complete overhaul. (Abridged)

Alan Bickers

Pyes Pa

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final.

Email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

06 Jul 05:31 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

06 Jul 03:55 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Region's first learning hub for migrant parents a 'transformative step'

05 Jul 06:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Police respond to assault at pool: One hospitalised, charges laid
New Zealand

Police respond to assault at pool: One hospitalised, charges laid

06 Jul 06:31 AM
'Harrowing incident': Coastguard rescues boaties after 3m waves hit vessel near Motunau
New Zealand

'Harrowing incident': Coastguard rescues boaties after 3m waves hit vessel near Motunau

06 Jul 06:20 AM
Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage
Crime

Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage

06 Jul 06:00 AM
Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold
New Zealand

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

06 Jul 05:31 AM
Woman's arm reportedly ripped off in lion attack at Queensland zoo
World

Woman's arm reportedly ripped off in lion attack at Queensland zoo

06 Jul 04:49 AM

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

06 Jul 05:31 AM

Lotto First Division Powerball was not struck and has jackpotted to $10m on Wednesday.

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

06 Jul 03:55 AM
Region's first learning hub for migrant parents a 'transformative step'

Region's first learning hub for migrant parents a 'transformative step'

05 Jul 06:00 PM
'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

04 Jul 08:45 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search