12 January 2017

Lessons of 2012 Guide Traffic Plan for Air Tattoo at Ohakea

Lessons learned from the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s air show in 2012 are guiding the traffic plans for the 2017 Air Tattoo onFebruary 25 and 26.

This year’s Air Tattoo is anticipated to attract up to 50,000 attendees a day and the organisers are determined to get traffic management right.

“We learned a lot from the air show of 2012,” RNZAF Base Ohakea Commander Group Captain Nick Olney said. “We have engaged a very experienced team of traffic management consultants who have worked on some of the biggest public events in the world, such as the London and Rio Olympics.”

At the RNZAF air show in 2012 there was severe congestion on main arterial roads and several initiatives have been taken this year to help alleviate previous issues:

• Tickets are limited per day.

• Tickets are being sold in advance through Ticketek.

• Free “park-and-ride” buses will be operating from Manfeild, Feilding and Rangitikei Polo Club, Bulls.

• Limited prepaid parking is available close to RNZAF Base Ohakea.

• Car parking will be open from 6am, with event gates open from 7am.

• There will be several road closures on the days of the event, with access limited to residents and guests or business operators and their pre-arranged customers with allocated official passes.

• Diversions will be signposted clearly for traffic not attending the 2017 Air Tattoo.

• A traffic management team will be in operation over the weekend and in the days before, during set-up.

Once the proposed traffic management plan has been approved details will be provided to local residents and businesses through public meetings and letters. These meetings and letters will also provide details of how to gain an official pass for access to any proposed closed roads.

“We need and want to work with our neighbours to make sure there is as little disruption as possible for them,” Group Captain Olney said. “We understand that while this is a big event for us, as it is our 80th anniversary, normal life goes on for others.”

Having online advance sales of tickets, park-and-ride options and limited pre-paid parking would mean faster entry to the event and reduced traffic in key areas, he said.

“We are confident that the steps that are being proposed will go a long way to alleviating the traffic issues of 2012. This is proving to be a very popular event, with tickets selling fast, and we want to do everything we can to help people have a memorable day for all the right reasons.”

Public meetings will be notified through public notices in local media.

Proposed roads to be closed on the days of the event;

• Tangimoana Road from SH3 to Campion Road.

• Taylor Road from SH1 to Tangimoana Road.

• Speedy Road from SH1 to Tangimoana Road.

• All of Mcdonnell Road.

• Fagan Road from SH3 to Speedy Road.

• Wilsons Road South from SH3 to Ngaio Road.

• All of Wightman Road.

• All of Hurst Road.

• Mingaroa Road from Ngaio Road to Halcombe Road.

• Ngaio Road from Wilsons Road South to Mount Stewart Halcombe Road.
• Sandon Road from Lees Road to Ranfurly Road.

• Phillips Street from Fagan Street to Acourt Street.

• Acourt Street from Phillips Street to SH3.

• Wilson Street from SH3 to SH1.

• All of Watson Street.

Ends

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