Towns deserted after Desert Rd closure: Is a confusing electronic sign to blame?

• Businesses in lower North Island towns are struggling due to a misleading road sign near Bulls.
• The sign incorrectly suggests State Highway 1 is closed, diverting traffic and reducing customer numbers.
• NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi updated the sign, but locals say it remains confusing and problematic.

By Pretoria Gordon of RNZ

Businesses all over New Zealand are struggling, with an economic recession and spending at a five-year low.

But for these lower North Island towns, it seems an electronic sign could be to blame.

The sign, outside Bulls, says State Highway 1 is closed and to use State Highways 49, 4, 47, and 41 instead.

An electronic traffic sign outside the lower North Island town of Bulls. Photo / RNZ / Pretoria Gordon

But State Highway 1 does not actually close until Waiōuru – another 110km further up the road.

Carla Woollaston, the owner of Ochre, an arts and crafts store in Bulls, said the sign had brought traffic to a screeching halt, with many drivers turning off at the intersection with State Highway 3.

“I’ve been here just over five months, and it is a hard slog. It’s quite eccentric opening a discretionary spending shop in a recession. So when the traffic completely turned off just before the holiday weekend, it was devastating,” Woollaston said.

“I rang a few other businesses up there in Rangitīkei, and they had all experienced the same thing.”

Across the road, Amanda Joy Street, owner of That Little Shop in Bulls on High St, had just laid off her one and only staff member.

Outside of Ochre in Bulls. Photo / RNZ / Pretoria Gordon

“Business has just died.

“We are down to probably less than half of what we would normally take each month.”

Woollaston’s sister, Susan, has owned the gift shop Wild Roses in Taihape for 27 years.

“We were quite alarmed in the first week when we just went from great days to empty days.”

She had never seen so few cars on State Highway 1 in January.

“Stand in the middle of the road. You won’t get run over.”

Blush Florist owner Tania Byford had also noticed a difference.

“We’ve had a quiet couple of weeks with the Desert Rd closed.

“Maybe they’re stopping in Ohakune for a change.”

Outside the National Army Museum in Waiōuru. Photo / RNZ, Pretoria Gordon

In Waiōuru, National Army Museum marketing and visitor experience manager Nicola Bennet said the number of people through the door had also significantly dropped since the Desert Rd closure.

“Obviously some people are seeing those signs nice and early and are taking alternative routes, which is great for some of the other towns like Raetihi, who may not usually get that extra traffic, but not so good for the rest of us on State Highway 1 that are now being bypassed by some of that traffic taking those different routes.”

Blush Florist owner Tania Byford. Photo / RNZ / Pretoria Gordon

Carla Woollaston had asked NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to change the sign on January 24.

A new message – alternating with the previous one – was added last Wednesday, but Woollaston said it was still not good enough.

“We noticed they put a second message up, and we’re starting to see some customers come into the shop, but it still literally says ‘SH1 Desert Rd closed’, and it repeats it, so they’re driving home this message that is totally confusing.”

There were now too many words to read while driving by at 100km/h, Susan Woollaston added.

“No one’s going to see two signs. Which one are they passing by? Fifty per cent of them are going to see one and 50% are going to see the other.”

‘Slightly more traffic on average than usual opting for State Highway 3’

In a statement, NZTA said it had made some changes as a result of feedback from businesses in Bulls.

An electronic traffic sign outside the lower North Island town of Bulls. Photo / RNZ, Pretoria Gordon

“We have added in ‘After Waiōuru’. This change has meant that the VMS messaging contains an additional second screen, and now reads: ‘SH1 Desert Rd closed after Waiōuru’ and ‘SH1 Desert Rd closed use SH49 4 47 41’.

“Prior to this change, we had ‘SH1 Desert Rd closed. Use SH 49 4 47 41’ on our VMS board near Ōhakea.”

While NZTA had telemetry counting sites on both routes to ascertain the level of impact felt, on Friday, it said there was not conclusive information yet.

“It does appear from the incomplete data we have currently, that there is slightly more traffic on average than usual opting for State Highway 3.”

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