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Northern News : January 28th 2015
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6 NORTHERN NEWS, JANUARY 28, 2015 NEWS Public gets say on ‘shocking’ roads By SARAH HARRIS The North’s roads are shocking. That often-heard statement was repeated at a public forum in Kaikohe. The Northland Regional Council meeting on January 14 was one of five sessions where the public could have a say on the draft regional land transport and public transport plan 2015 to 2021. The land transport plan aims to solve some of Northland’s key road challenges such as safety, heavy vehicles, and route resilience to floods and slips. South Hokianga resident Charmaine Peri says the roads need to be fixed up as soon as possible. ‘‘We’ve had five school bus accidents,’’ she says. ‘‘Our roads are just shocking. We’re really concerned about our tamariki.’’ Regional Transport Committee chairman John Bain says money is desperately needed to bring the roads up to scratch. ‘‘While Northland’s getting more than its fair share over the next three years we’ve got a long way to go to catch up to Canterbury or Cambridge.’’ ‘‘There’s not enough money in New Zealand to tarseal all the roads in John Bain Northland. But I don’t want to see Northland with substandard roads.’’ The land transport plan will act as a blueprint for the tens of millions of dollars to be spent on Northland roads over the next six years. Regional dust mitigation programmes and heavy vehicle bridge strengthening have been suggested. Projects proposed for the Far North include new roundabouts at the Waipapa and Puketona intersections, which have priority ratings of three, and making Mangakahia Rd a state highway. Ken Rintoul By JENNY LING Motorists are urged to report accidents – no matter how minor – at a notorious Waipapa intersection in a bid to get safety work under way. Residents and councillors have been lobbying the Government for decades to get a roundabout at the Waipapa Rd, State Highway 10 intersection. ‘‘It’s a bloody dangerous intersection; we’ve got multiple problems there,’’ Far North District councillor Ann Court says. There have been six reported non-injury crashes at the intersection over the past five years. Problems include narrow one-lane roads that don’t allow traffic to pass. Cars travelling north on SH10 wanting to turn right into Waipapa Rd force traffic to bank up behind them. Court, who is also a Northland Regional Northland Regional Transport Committee Far North representative Ann Court says only projects with a priority one or two are likely to get under way. Bain says land transport systems are crucial because CALLFORAROUNDABOUTATWAIPAPA putting in a roundabout and reducing the speed limit from 70kmh to 50kmh on SH10 between Kahikatearoa Lane and Pungaere Rd. ‘‘The transport agency is Safety first: Mal Liddington is one of many residents calling for a roundabout at the Waipapa Rd-State Highway 10 junction. Transport Committee representative, urges drivers to report all accidents, because that’s the data Government uses when deciding on funding. ‘‘If we get evidence that accidents are happening on a regular basis, that creates a paper trail... we need evidence.’’ Waipapa Business Association chairman Mal Liddington – who owns they affect employment, tourism, safety and economy. ‘‘Our economy in Northland is going to rely on what we can export out of Northland. If we don’t have a system of transport that’s Waipapa Auto Court near the intersection – agrees the junction is dangerous. ‘‘As far as safety goes it’s got to be done,’’ Liddington says. ‘‘We’ve seen hits and bangs here and there. There’s been a few when people have been hit. We see something every couple of months.’’ New Zealand Transport Agency says it will consider efficient, we suffer.’’ Kerikeri businessman and Focus NZ head Ken Rintoul says funds should be spent wisely. A tunnel should be created through the Brynderwyns instead of making adjust- . . . this year looking to undertake a full review of the road corridor along the section of the highway,’’ spokesman Mieszko Iwaskow says. ‘‘We will consider whether a roundabout is the right long-term solution... as well as if new speed limits or other measures may need to be implemented to improve safety.’’ The study will take one year and start within the next few months, depending on funding approval, Iwaskow says. ❚ Do you think a roundabout is needed at the intersection? Email jenny.ling@ fairfaxmedia.co.nz with your opinion. ments to the road, he says. ‘‘You’re just spending money and spending money. If you owned a business you’d be broke by now. This is shortsightedness.’’ ❚ Go to http://bit.ly/1CnsF3J to submit. Some residents unhappy with toilet upgrade By SARAH HARRIS Kaikohe’s newly refurbished toilets are safer than they were before – but not everybody is happy with the finished product. Resident Peter Huebner says he is revolted by the toilets that reopened on December 23 after a longawaited revamp. ‘‘The toilet seat is very very close to the ground on the male side,’’ Huebner says. ‘‘That thing is so low you can guarantee it’s been sprayed all over which is thoroughly disgusting. ‘‘They may have tried to make it vandal proof, but I think only a vandal would be happy to use it. It certainly does not convey a good message about Kaikohe.’’ Residents have been scared to use the public toilets on Library Lane after a raft of security issues (Long awaited toilet refurbishment to go ahead, Northern News, October 15, 2014). After three years, work started on November 3. New seats were built out- side using timber from the old Kaikohe Hotel. The bathrooms cost the council around $50,000. Kaikohe Business Associ- ation chairman Steve Sangster says it’s great that the toilets are finished and ready for use. ‘‘Anything is an improve- ment over the really outdated facilities we had before and it was really important for the town that we had nice, clean, safe toilets so as to attract the passing traffic and get people to stop, shop and eat.’’ Kaikohe-Hokianga Com- munity Board chairman John Schollum says the previous community board found the bathrooms needed an urgent upgrade more than three years ago. The community felt the toilets needed to be safer and to have baby changing facilities in both men’s and women’s cubicles. ‘‘The main issue was safety in the community. We’ve had women with handbags snatched, we’ve had people camping out in there, men sitting in the women’s toilet and guys with cameras over the walls.’’ ❚ What do you think of the refurbished Kaikohe toilets? Email sarah.harris@ fairfaxmedia.co.nz and let us know. All done: The new bathrooms in Kaikohe cost around $50,000 – cash that some residents see as money down the toilet. KERIKERI The Turner Centre Sat 7th Feb 2:30pm For booking information: www.turnercentre.co.nz 09 407 0260 NA BA WHANGAREI Forum North Sun 8th Feb 2:30pm Tickets from Ticketek 0800 Ticketek For more information: E navy.band@nzdf.mil.nz W www.navy.mil.nz/band Facebook/RNNBand in concert
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