Mayor Calls for End to SH1 Chaos

Rodney District Mayor Penny Webster is urging the NZ Transport Agency to prioritise the planned bypass of State Highway 1 west of Warkworth.

That follows chaos on Sunday which saw northbound queues stretching 25 kilometres south of the town and some motorists waiting hours to travel just 2 kilometres.

There are also reports of children playing on the highway as they waited in the traffic and under blistering heat.

Mrs Webster says the traffic lights installed at Warkworth intersections on State Highway 1 were causing the delays as they were no longer able to cope with what she describes as a massive increase in traffic over holiday periods.

“And not only at Christmas,” she says.

“From our point of view it’s great that we and our northern neighbours are attracting so many visitors. We are proud of what we can offer them year-round and tourism is vitally important to our economy.

“But it’s rapidly getting past the point when we need some firm action on the roading situation around Warkworth.”

“We have to have the by-pass and I know that many motorists, local and visitors, will be hoping it will be sooner rather than later.

ENDS

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