NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

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 / New Zealand

Brynderwyns closure: Northland residents on busy detour suffering due to reopening delay

Jenny Ling
By Jenny Ling
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
7 May, 2024 11:00 PM4 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

Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd residents are suffering through weeks of noise as a constant stream of trucks roll past their houses.

Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd residents are suffering through weeks of noise as a constant stream of trucks roll past their houses.

Northland residents living on a busy Brynderwyns detour route with “crazy” truck noise want NZTA to “throw everyone at it” as the reopening remains uncertain.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) still can’t give an update on the timing for the reopening of SH1 following two recent slips on the hillside at Kauri Tree Corner on April 26 and April 30.

NZTA Brynderwyn Hills project director Mark Ware said soil continues to move at the top of the slopes.

“We expect to be resuming earthworks at the top of the slope this week, subject to confirmation by geotech experts that it is safe to progress.”

The Brynderwyns were meant to be open at 11.59pm on May 12 following a 10-week closure for urgent repairs following severe weather, including Cyclone Gabrielle.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ware said the recent slips contributed between 45,000-55,000m3 of additional soil required to be removed over and above the 180,000m3 already completed on the project.

“Without repairs to the Brynderwyn Hills, the route was unlikely to survive the next severe weather event.

“The work we are doing now will ensure we have a safe, reliable route for Northland for the short to medium term.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Russell Miller, who lives on Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd with his wife Melanie, said the delay is “typical”.

“Why not throw everyone at it and get it done quickly rather than messing around?” he said.

“It’ll be three to four months the way they’re working on it, it’s so slow.”

The Millers, who both work from home, have had to make numerous changes to their lives due to the noise from trucks of up to 50 tonnes rumbling and screeching past their house.

They moved their bedroom to the back of house, away from the road, and have stayed in Auckland a few times “to try and get away from it and get some peace and quiet”.

“It’s hard with all the noise, it’s pretty crazy,” Russell said.

“The trucks are constant, they don’t stop.

“They completely ignore the engine braking signs ... they make a hell of a row.”

Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd residents Melanie and Russell Miller have stayed in Auckland with friends a few times to get away from the noisy detour route. Photo / Jenny Ling
Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd residents Melanie and Russell Miller have stayed in Auckland with friends a few times to get away from the noisy detour route. Photo / Jenny Ling

Fellow Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd resident Ryan Smith, who works from home along with his partner, said the delay was “not great”.

However, he wasn’t surprised, as he didn’t expect it to open on time anyway.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Smith said he and his partner drove to Christchurch for a week in the middle of the scheduled closure “to break it up”.

“It’s all we could afford to do.

“We’ve kept the windows closed to try to keep the noise out as much as we can.”

Another Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd resident Lynne Warbrooke said fixing the Brynderwyns was “a necessity”.

“As long as they do the repairs to Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd and put the road back to how it was ... it’s suffering quite badly now.

“It was never really rated for big trucks.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Yes, the noise is extremely irksome, you can tell the time when the trucks start coming through again.

“Sunday during the day is pretty quiet but at 9pm it starts up again.

“They use their brakes at the top of the valley and it echos all around.”

Northland MP Grant McCallum, pictured with Transport Minister Simeon Brown, said the Government was putting a lot of heat on to NZTA to get an alternative Brynderwyns bypass sorted.
Northland MP Grant McCallum, pictured with Transport Minister Simeon Brown, said the Government was putting a lot of heat on to NZTA to get an alternative Brynderwyns bypass sorted.

Northland MP Grant McCallum said the delay was “hugely disappointing and frustrating for everybody”.

“I fully appreciate this is causing a lot of concern in Northland.

“NZTA are getting geotech assessments done and working to find out what they’re going to have to do to fix the slip.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“As soon as we know we’ll let the public know.

“It reinforces why we need a new road, it shows how unstable that land is.”

Last week Transport Minister Simeon Brown told the Northern Advocate the Government was committed to building a four-lane highway alternative for the Brynderwyns and would investigate the use of private finance to accelerate the construction of the project.

McCallum said: “Everything is on the table.

“The first thing we need to do is sort out the route and financing options. NZTA is working through that right now.

“We’re putting a lot of heat on to NZTA to get on with it and sort the alternative routes as soon as possible because the public needs to know.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“We need that road started and built ... our Northland economy cannot hang by the thread that is the current unstable Brynderwyns.”

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.


Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'Against everything we do': Bookstores steering clear of books written by AI

10 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Opinion

Matthew Hooton: The case for abolishing regional councils in NZ

10 Jul 05:00 PM
New Zealand

Morning quiz: What is the term for a prolonged period of declining stock prices?

10 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'Against everything we do': Bookstores steering clear of books written by AI

'Against everything we do': Bookstores steering clear of books written by AI

10 Jul 05:00 PM

Retailers are operating on a 'high trust model' with publishers.

Premium
Matthew Hooton: The case for abolishing regional councils in NZ

Matthew Hooton: The case for abolishing regional councils in NZ

10 Jul 05:00 PM
Morning quiz: What is the term for a prolonged period of declining stock prices?

Morning quiz: What is the term for a prolonged period of declining stock prices?

10 Jul 05:00 PM
Dog helps find rare bird colony 'not seen for decades'

Dog helps find rare bird colony 'not seen for decades'

10 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

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
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • 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