NZTA’s announcement also stated median barrier installation would continue from Wright Rd to Aongatete bridge.
“This will mean Wright Rd and Dawson Rd will become left-in left-out with a roundabout at Matahui/Lockington roads – approximately 1.2km distance from Wright Rd,” said the NZTA press release.
Bulk liquid cartage business Porter Transport manager Bruce Porter said these median barriers still set to go up would cause massive disruption to the area. The Wine Portfolio and Seeka Packhouse lay either side of SH2 where the median barriers were being installed.
Transporters exiting these warehouses would be unable to cross to the other side of the road due to the median barriers and would instead have to take a long detour to reach a roundabout to go in their intended direction, said Porter.
No common sense
“We can go into the winery from the Tauranga side, however, there is no way that we can exit this site with large vehicles going towards the Katikati way due to the barriers.
“The Seeka packhouse across the road is in the same predicament, which is in reverse to the winery.
“This issue into the winery is also going to have issues for Mainfreight as we operate in and out of the winery daily. There is no common sense … from NZTA.”
Bay of Plenty-based ACT MP Cameron Luxton welcomed NZTA’s decision to reconsider sections of the planned continuous wire median barriers between Katikati and Tauranga.
“This news will come as an enormous relief for residents I’ve met. While it is difficult to say exactly what pushed NZTA to make this announcement, it’s clear the fierce advocacy and protest of the locals has been effective,” said Luxton, who joined affected residents at Katikati War Memorial Hall on Tuesday night.
Got the memo
He said he was contacted by “residents tearing their hair out” at the prospect of right turns out of their roads being blocked.
“Residents of affected roads would have been forced to drive kilometres down SH2 in the wrong direction to find a roundabout before turning around. This could add thousands of kilometres of annual travel for regular commuters.”
He said he wrote to Transport Minister Simeon Brown about the issue on June 6 and the median barriers were a “major topic” at Act’s public meeting in Tauranga last week.
“While I understand it is difficult for a minister to intervene in operational decisions that have already reached the implementation phase, it appears NZTA has one way, or another, got the memo.”
Luxton said the news would disappoint residents near where barrier installation is set to continue, such as those living on Wright Rd.
“So as a community we’ll need to hold NZTA to its commitment today to continue to ‘consider the concerns raised by the community with the current design’.”
Packed meeting
The community-organised meeting in Katikati on Tuesday night was attended by more than 350 people, according to Williams.
“The hall was packed.”
Williams said while SH2 residents were pleased with NZTA’s announcement, they were worried NZTA would not listen to the locals again.
“The only way they are going to get credibility is by including us in the decision-making and consultation.
“The pressure that we put on NZTA, and the politicians has possibly had some bearing on the announcement.”
Lund Rd resident Gino de Graaf has been heavily involved in the organisation of protests.
“Let’s hope the second review NZTA are doing will turn into significant changes so we can turn into our side roads. We don’t trust NZTA,” he said.
“They could have announced earlier instead of just prior to our community meeting. I feel hopeful and it’s progress in the right direction.”
Another resident, Rick Burke, said this was the first bit of good news they had had.
“Long may the good news continue.”
- SunLive
