Originally it was going to be a four-month trial in response to safety concerns around the high traffic volumes while children travelled to and from school.
The street has undergone a number of changes in access times, while vehicle movements have dropped from 7500 to 3500 per day since the closure.
Initially the street was shut at all times, but in December 2022 it became peak times, seven days a week.
Since the new trial began on July 1, 112 fines have been issued with seven of these waived.
More than $5m in fines have been issued since March 2022 with $1.3m of these waived.
Tauranga City AFC chairman Brendon McHugh said the new system is brilliant. Photo / George Novak.
Tauranga City AFC chairman Brendon McHugh said the latest change is “really positive” for the football club.
The club is just past the closure near Concord Ave and McHugh said they’ve had to put up with a lot of complaints from people.
“It was pretty tough on us.”
It was a “struggle” for parents and players who had to access the club from the other end of Links Ave, around 1km away for practices, games and holiday programmes.
“We were really happy when they took away the weekends, that was probably the biggest thing for us because we just couldn’t use it.
Another panel member Teresa Killian said the new trial is hugely beneficial especially for older residents who were “very isolated” because they weren’t confident using the main roads and the closure deterred visitors.
The council was asked for resident exemptions, but McHugh said panel members were told it wasn’t an option.
Council network safety and sustainability manger Karen Hay said the council looked at ways to reduce the impact of the closure on residents from the start, but there were operational and regulatory constraints.
“Maintaining an exemption list of number plates for all residents on Links Avenue and connecting streets was not possible as it would have to be monitored manually.”
Resident Teri Logie in 2021 when the council first proposed the closure. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.
Resident Teri Logie, who set up the “Don’t Close Links Ave to the Mt” Facebook page, said the new trial is better, but she still questions the closure.
“There are roads past every school, why this one?”
Residents were told about the new trial through a letter from council which was “a bit unclear”, said Logie.
Hay said council apologised if the letter was unclear and it included an email address for people to ask questions.
More than 750 letters were sent, and the new trial was advertised in council’s weekly bulletin and on its website, she said.
“The new trial allows a broader range of users, including residents, visitors and businesses, to use Links Ave within the restricted hours, providing greater flexibility for the community.”
