Mount Maunganui residents have been left frustrated at a lack of consultation regarding controversial plans to trial a cul-de-sac on Links Avenue.
The trial period, which begins on Monday, is set to last five weeks with a review in December.
In June, council stated that consultation with local residents and the wider community would take place 'before any changes to the road layout” were made.
But residents claim that consultation never happened.
Teri Logie lives less than 100 metres away from the proposed cul-de-sac site at the Ascot Road turn-off.
'We just want to be consulted,” she says.
'There was a mailbox drop about a week ago and that was it. That was the first time we knew what we were fighting.”
That viewpoint is supported by the Arataki Community Liaison Group - a working group established with council to help provide feedback from the community.
A group spokesperson says several options for improving safety on Links Avenue were presented by council staff in February. The cul-de-sac was discussed but, according to ACLG, dismissed.
They were then informed by council staff and commissioners in a meeting on November 1 that the cul-de-sac trial would be starting just over a fortnight later.
'This was the first time we heard that a cul-de-sac trial would be going ahead,” says an ACLG spokesperson.
'In no way could this meeting be considered consultation on whether the cul-de-sac proposal should proceed.”
Tauranga City Council director of transport Brendan Bisley says that original plans on engaging with the community were disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions.
He says the trial period needed to be implemented before the end of this school year, in order for long-term safety improvement decisions to be made for early 2022.
'The trial period is part of the initial consultation, so that we can get real-time feedback from residents and the transport network,” says Brendan.
'This initial trial and consultation will test the safety impacts of the cul-de-sac on alternative transport users, residents and pedestrians, and importantly school students. It will also test the impact on the wider transport network.”
Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman Philip Brown believes the trial will cause 'chaos” along other routes, namely Oceanbeach Road and Maunganui Road.
'Council have not consulted one bit,” says Philip. 'It is just lying, breaking promises and is probably deceitful.”
But Ivan, another Links Avenue resident, was keen to point out that this is a bigger issue than just inconvenience. He believes the cul-de-sac does not sufficiently address safety, echoing a larger sentiment that the removal of the bus lane on Links Avenue is preferred.
'The issue is about the safety of the kids,” says Ivan.
'The problem is the buses, so council is actually doing nothing about the safety. Nothing is going to change with this cul-de-sac.”