'Residents only' signs at Whanganui River Rd come down at Covid 19 level 1

The Whanganui River Rd and Kaiwhaiki Rd had Residents Only signs. Photo / Bevan Conley

Residents-only signs at the start of the Whanganui River Rd and Kaiwhaiki Rd have been taken down with the country moving to Covid-19 alert level 1.

During alert levels 4, 3 and 2 signs were put up at the State Highway 4 turnoffs to the roads, restricting them to residents only.

That was to keep residents safe, Whanganui District Council senior roading engineer Brent Holmes said. Essential and emergency services were also allowed, and the signs served to discourage unnecessary travel.

They were taken down on June 9, when New Zealand moved to alert level 1.

Māori communities like those on the two roads remain the most vulnerable to the pandemic, Te Ranga Tupua spokesman Gerrard Albert said, and Māori may continue to take extra precautions.

"Any household or person who wants to continue to take responsibility to maintain personal safety in spite of level 1 status, whether Māori or not, Te Ranga Tupua is encouraging respect is maintained toward them."

That is community responsibility to one another, he said.

Te Ranga Tupua is a collective of iwi in the Whanganui region who have been meeting quarterly since 2013. It had a big role with civil defence and welfare in 2015 and 2017 floods, and is looking to build on that with other initiatives.