Waikato councils at loggerheads over controversial street makeover

Hamilton City Council has said it would make tweaks to the Ward St trial, but would not remove it early. Photo / Nikki Preston

Waikato Regional Council is at loggerheads with Hamilton City Council over the controversial redesign of an inner-city street causing chaos and disruption outside its new multimillion-dollar headquarters.

It comes after Hamilton City Councilremoved a number of its two-hour-free carparks with coloured planters, a cycleway and street furniture in an attempt to make the street safer and more people-friendly.

The $540,000 Innovative Streets pilot - funded by 90 per cent by Waka Kotahi and 10 per cent by Hamilton City Council - launched last week and is expected to run for at least a month.

But Waikato Regional Council chair Russ Rimmington has blasted the new Ward St layout as being "hair brained" and wants it gone.

The regional council only relocated from its Hamilton East premises to the Ward St building last Monday - the same week the trial officially began.

Businesses in the area have also raised concerns about the removal of carparks on the street, which they say is losing them customers and costing them money.

"It seems to have choked that whole area. It's diabolical."

Rimmington said the trial was an "absolute nonsense" and removing carparks meant people visiting the regional council or other businesses had nowhere to park.

He is now considering taking matters into his own hands and putting out some orange road cones to create his own parks for when they had council meetings.

Rimmington has contacted his former council colleague and Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate and Waka Kotahi to express his disdain.

Southgate said she had spoken with Rimmington about it this morning and that while no one had officially asked for the trial to be canned, she was keen on the council making changes to the trial to ensure a better outcome for all.

Southgate said feedback on the trial had been mixed, but admitted the majority of feedback had been from businesses who were negatively impacted.

In contrast, cycling advocates felt it had made the area safer for them and there had also been positive feedback on the new pedestrian street, she said.

Hamilton City Council transport and urban mobility programme lead Martin Parkes said at the start of the trial that time and space was needed for the community to adjust.

"Ending the trial early would undermine and impact our ability to deliver a permanent solution that meets the needs of all people."

Hamilton City Council is meeting with businesses in the area again next week to discuss the trial further.