“We have explored numerous options and come up with what we feel is a cost-effective one.”
The exact cost of the barrier arms was not revealed for commercial reasons but Benadie‘s report said it would be “less than $50,000″.
Staff and councillors met with a contractor at the site last December, it said.
Councillor Paul Sharland said he could “see a truck going straight through the whole bloody thing”.
“Are we going to notify the trucking companies this is going to happen?” he said.
Benadie said companies would be informed.
“I’m hoping that if you see a boom there, you won’t go through it.”
His report said all registered bus companies using the lane would receive a remote control unit for their vehicles.
“If a bus arrives at the barrier arm and does not have a remote unit in the vehicle, or the remote unit does not function properly, they have the ability to call the Te Matapihi front desk and request staff to open the barrier arm remotely.”
Councillor Fiona Dalgety said bus drivers would not “give a toss” about the remotes, meaning they would get damaged or lost.
Benadie said remotes were cheap and easily replaced.
“Let’s give it a go and see what happens. If a big raises its head we will deal with it.”
His report said other options such as CCTV and number plate recognition software were complex.
They had to comply with privacy requirements and required creating a system to administer infringements, it said.
Councillor Gill Duncan said the issue was very frustrating and something had to be done.
“Ideally, I would have liked to have seen us make it a toll road for the trucks and get some money.”
The committee voted unanimously to install the barrier arms.
The Matapihi Building - Bulls Community Centre - was opened in 2020.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
