PRESS RELEASE
ACTION WAIHEKE ESPLANADE
24th May 2013

Waiheke is up in arms - this time over a 700m stretch of the coast.

Why?
1n 2009, the road was deemed unsafe by the Police, who requested that the Local Board take steps to close it to car traffic. A postal survey at the time, established that of the 2300 people who voted, 53% favoured road closure over 47% who preferred to have it open. The road was subsequently closed and has enjoyed two years as a car free environment where users ranging from children through cyclists and riders to people walking themselves back to health, could have a flat area to walk on while also accessing the two suburbs of Oneroa and Surfdale safely.

Like with other initiatives (e.g. John Wilson Ocean Drive in Dunedin) the closure has meant an increase in the number of active users and more children are reported to be biking and cycling to school from Blackpool to Surfdale since the closure.

Given what is known about the costs of roads for cars, Auckland Transport initiatives to encourage different means of transport, Travelwise initiatives to reduce congestion around schools at peak times, Te Huruhi Primary school, Waiheke High School and Waiheke Early Childcare Centre at various times commenting on the fact they would prefer it to stay closed, and Auckland Transport themselves saying that the road has deteriorated since 2009, it seems incredible that the road is now being reopened. Right across Auckland initiatives are seeing greater pedestrian and cycle access, and yet Waiheke Island, with it’s strong ongoing commitment to environment and lifestyle is struggling to be part of that.

The road is currently being made safe for motorised vehicles during emergencies which was of huge concern. However, The Local Board have allocated $180,000 of discretionary Board funding for traffic calming measures . This is almost a third of the total project budget, to allow cars to travel on a road that is already calm and which many different kinds of users would prefer to see closed.

While initially claiming that no funding would be available for rebuilding the seawall, and maintaining the route for emergency vehicles unless it was open to cars, this has since been debunked by sources close to Auckland Transport.

A public meeting in April attended by 150+ people called on the Local Board to delay the implementation of traffic calming measures until the Waiheke Community had been consulted through a survey or referendum. The resolutions were brought to the Board who said they did not feel they should review the decision. As a result AWE (Action Waiheke Esplanade) was formed.

The group unites people from all walks of life and from different sides of the political spectrum. Some want to enjoy a car free space, others feel that the safety of the route is compromised by sharing it with cars, others feel that if the majority feel the road should be closed, why is it being reopened to traffic through a decision of the Board with no further consultation?

There will be an Esplanade Street Party assembling at Blackpool School Hall at 10.30 on Sunday the 26th and walking the Esplanade to Surfdale Hall followed by a picnic and prizes for the best dressed, the best dressed bike, youngest and oldest travelling together. Please join us.

There is also a survey that can be filled out online asking for responses to the Esplanade closure, regardless of how people feel about the issue.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TheEsplanadeFuture
People must be 18 and over and connected to Waiheke to fill it out.

ENDS

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