Road campaigners rue low turnout

Alex Wright, of the Pipiwai Titoki Road Action Group, with Whangarei District road engineer Mike Batchelor. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A community action group was disappointed only a couple of Whangarei District Council staff turned up for an official "drive-over" of roads where the dust problem traffic has got up residents' noses for years.

Pipiwai Titoki Road Action Group had hoped council members from Whangarei and the Far North districts as well as other Northland politicians and interested parties might join in Wednesday's road inspection.

Spokeswoman Alex Wright said the on-site meeting "was disappointing, just a formality".

Mrs Wright said the inspection had been agreed several weeks ago at a Wright Rd Working Group meeting at the council's offices.

The minutes of that meeting state the drive-over by WDC staff, residents, and representatives of a bus company, Northland District Health Board, Northland Regional Council, the trucking industry and Ministry of Transport was to identify and remedy "where feasible" black spots and other hazards.

WDC road maintenance engineer Mike Batchelor said the drive-over was to look at possible short-term solutions to the dust nuisance and other hazards.

The drive-over and audit was to identify any existing safety deficiencies of the road's shape and design which are not consistent with its function, and to ensure the identified safety items were attended to in the maintenance programme.

Mr Batchelor said he could not comment on any decisions that might be made after the drive-over.

Meanwhile, Pipiwai Titoki Road Action Group is hoping for support from other rural residents at the hikoi it has planned in Whangarei on Tuesday.

The march is timed to arrive at Forum North during the council's draft annual plan hearings where the group's submission will be heard.

The assembly time at Kensington Park is 11am with the march departing for Forum North at noon.