City street upgrade postponed to give retailers break

The second stage of a planned upgrade of Hastings Street has been postponed out of courtesy for retailers in the area who need a break from trading disruptions.
Napier City Council’s intention was to commence the second stage of the upgrade in April/May next year (between Tennyson St and Albion Lane) but, due to the building demolition, reconstruction and strengthening that has occurred along that section of road during the past year, it has now been postponed.

Napier City Council’s Road Asset Manager, Jon Schwass says council was concerned some of the businesses that would be affected by the upgrade might find the continuation of work in their vicinity difficult.

ong Hastings Street, a public meeting was held with retailers, Inner City Marketing and Napier City Council representatives. We also asked Inner City Marketing to poll the retailers to see if they wanted the works to proceed or to postpone it for a further twelve months.”

As a result, 70 percent of those who voted said they would prefer it if the Council postponed the work for 12 months.

“On that basis, we were happy to oblige and postpone the upgrade until April/May 2015. The retailers deserve a break and some peace and quiet between reconstruction of buildings and road works,” Mr Schwass says.

ENDS

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