They were not there to hear it, but the Tāhunanui community sent a rather loud message to Waka Kotahi at a packed public meeting last night – “you’ll destroy our community”.
Waka Kotahi, formally NZTA, released a proposed traffic plan for Nelson earlier this year which is now open for public consultation after it was approved by Nelson City Council.
The 0-3 year plan would see a set of traffic lights installed along Tāhunanui Drive, at the Parkers Road intersection, and the reinstatement of the southbound lane outside the Tāhunanui Pharmacy, which would mean the loss of the car parks outside the pharmacy.
The longer-term proposal would see up to eight sets of lights installed on Tāhunanui Drive with four lanes permanently along Tāhunanui Drive.
Waka Kotahi say the proposal would also encourage more people to walk and cycle or take public transport while moving more traffic through the community faster.
The original proposal was to have four lanes on Waimea Rd, Tāhunanui Drive, Rocks Rd and Haven Rd. But the rocks along Rocks Rd have since been given Outstanding Natural Landscape status meaning they can’t be built on and it is understood Rutherford St was too narrow to fit another two lanes on it.
More than 250 people filled the Tāhunanui School Hall at a firey meeting on Tuesday night organised by local resident Jacinda Stevenson. The meeting heard from the new owners of the Tāhunanui Pharmacy, the St Stephen’s Church, other business owners, the Tāhunanui School principal, the community hub manager and Nelson mayor Rachel Reese.
The theme was the same throughout: the community wasn’t consulted by Waka Kotahi and the proposal would destroy a community already suffering the worst depravation in the region.
Owner of the Tāhunanui Pharmacy says their clients are mostly elderly or in the lower social economic category. They say four laning outside their pharmacy would make it harder for people to access healthcare required at the pharmacy and the neighbouring health clinic.
“They want more people to walk and cycle but how can people cycle and walk to access health facilities if they’re unwell,” it makes no sense.
Tāhunanui School principal Barbara Bowen says four lanes would not fit into the space where two lanes currently are.
“Putting four lanes on a space with two lanes doesn’t actually make any more space and if they think they are taking land off our school to do this… well they won’t, I won’t let it happen. That bank is there for the safety of our kids because someone died, let’s remember that, someone died.”
She says slowing people down with a new set of lights only to speed them up with priority lanes “doesn’t make any sense to me, it’s like a cheap DIY option”.
Waka Kotahi refused an invitation to appear but its director of regional relationships for the top of the South, Emma Speight, did send a statement.
“Taken as a whole, the complete and integrated suite of transport changes will encourage many more people to walk, cycle, take buses and share a ride, meaning that traffic flow will be better managed and journey times will be maintained even as Nelson grows.”
Rachel Reese told the meeting that the best thing they could do was to engage with the consultation process and praised the organisers of the meeting.
“It’s really helpful for us as your elected members to actually be able to get a voice from the community.”
Former mayor Paul Matheson ran the meeting and says he is horrified at the proposal and called on elected officials to “back our community”.
Only three Nelson city councillors attended the meeting, Tim Skinner, Yvonne Bowater and Trudie Brand.
The consultation period ends on June 13. To have your say visit www.nzta.govt.nz/nfa and click the “Have your say” button.
A drop in session will be held on Friday 11 June between 11-2pm @ Tahunanui Community Hub where people can come and learn more as well as get assistance on how to place a submission.
