Action begins to eliminate dust woes for residents

A logging truck leaves a dusty trail in Pipiwai. Photo / Supplied

Work has started on sealing 10 strips of 100m along notoriously dusty roads west of Whangarei that have plagued residents for more than a decade.

Whangarei District Council contractor Transfield Services started work along Wright, McCardle and Pipiwai roads last week and the sealing is expected to be completed by December.

The council allocated $400,000 over the next two years for the sealing after the New Zealand Transport Agency declined a $4.5 million funding request this year for a full 9km seal of Wrights Rd and McCardle Rd.

Since the work is expected to cost $532,000, the council will ask logging and trucking industries to make up the $132,000 shortfall.

Council spokeswoman Ann Midson said most of the sections to be sealed were along property frontages and would alleviate the dust nuisance caused by the regular logging traffic, particularly over the summer months.

Over the coming years, the council will look to continue short seal strips on other metal roads with similar challenges.

Pipiwai Titoki Advocacy for Community Health and Safety Group spokeswoman Alex Wright said while the strip seals would help, a full seal would be the ideal solution.

"Dust will still be dragged along with trucks even when the sealing is finished. For the health and safety of road users, the entire [road] needs to be sealed," she said.

Mrs Wright said watering of affected roads by the council had helped. "It's fantastic the council has stepped forward ... but because this is a designated logging road, it's just not going to eliminate the dust problem."