Loyal customers walking the extra distance is what Cameron Rd businesses between 10th and 11th Avenue are relying on as roadwork barricades block off customer parking spaces.

Last year, The Weekend Sun spoke to businesses between Cameron Rd's 11th and 12th Ave whose customer parking was taken out by roadworks for six months – with some stores losing up to 70 per cent turnover as a result.

Now businesses further along between 10th and 11th Ave, across from PAK'nSAVE, are worried as orange barricades were installed in customer parking in front of their stores last week.

'January and February are some of our busiest times so to have no parking is devastating.

'There's no conversation –they [barricades] just went up like that,” says sales representative Amy Piper, who works at family business Industrial Footwear & Safety.

The Cameron Rd roadworks are part of the 'Building our future. Cameron Road, Te Papa” infrastructural project which includes the construction of bus lanes and cycle ways.

'Along here there are six shop fronts that have 12 parks between them which in turn we're losing with this ‘new look Tauranga' and getting four 15 minute pull in bays, which we fought tooth and nail for,” says Amy.

Going the distance

While storefront carparks are cordoned off by roadworks, store owners are counting on customers supporting their businesses by finding alternative parking nearby, and walking to their stores.

'I just hope our customers will be loyal and find a way to get in here or ring us and we can pick up or meet them out the back some where to get their products,” says Howard Jones who owns Naismith & Jones – chainsaws and mowers.

The Weekend Sun reporter parked down 10th Avenue outside of The Warehouse to visit the businesses – some customers had the same idea.

'We hope [for more people] like the two guys that have just come in – they've walked around the corner which we appreciate more than anything – they could've driven past and gone: ‘Oh I can't get a park'.”

Still here

Storeowners want the community to know that they are still operating. 'The fact that they've blocked us off completely to parking makes us look like we're not here,” says Amy.

Tauranga City Council project director Derek McFadden says council recognise that a period of construction can be difficult for businesses directly affected.

'We have discussed wayfinding signs with the businesses in this section and the ‘Businesses open

as usual' traffic management signs along the centre median are in the process of being installed. Across the whole construction area we prioritise installing directional signage for customers to find parking areas and access to businesses,” says Derek.

Howard has paid for a radio advertisement while customer parking is out of action–detailing to customers that they can access his store via St John St while roadworks are carried out.

'We've got an ad on the radio telling customers to come in through the back door, but we don't like to encourage that either because that means people walking through the workshop where it's a health and safety issue.”

Time will tell

These businesses are also concerned how long the barricades will really be outside their stores.

'We've had conflicting dates the entire way along… so this supposed revamp where they're taking away the carparks is going to take eight weeks which is a laugh.

'I imagine it will be months and I don't know how we're going to get on,” says Howard.

'The remainder of work on this section is expected to be complete by mid-March,” says Derek.

'We are very aware that any construction road works impact on local businesses. Planning of all traffic management for the Cameron Road upgrades is done with this in mind, including, where possible, undertaking works at night as to not impact businesses access during the day and allocating resources to reduce the amount of time work is being done outside businesses.”

Manageable chunks

'I know Cameron Rd is a big job but cut it into smaller portions. Don't do between avenues because that's going to affect everyone on that avenue. Cut the avenue in half, take small bites, do one job and do it quickly,” says Amy.

When The Weekend Sun asked council how they will manage roadworks on Cameron Rd differently to last year after businesses were impacted by length delays, Derek says: 'Council and the Cameron Road Joint Venture will continue to keep businesses informed of all construction activity and work with them to address any concerns”.

'The delays we have experienced on this project so far have generally as a result of the wide-ranging effects of Covid-19 (like many industries in New Zealand) and availability of resources, combined with the wet weather in Tauranga in recent months.”

'The actual road workers here don't know a lot but from what we experienced last month they were very obliging, but they don't know how long it's going to be or what's happening next,” says Howard.

'We've just got to remain positive, ride it out and hopefully we're not affected like the businesses down there were.

Howard Jones had to hire storage for his ride-on mowers during roadworks outside store fronts in November 2022 and wonders if he will need to do this again. Photo: John Borren.