Community consultation begins today to seek feedback on recommendations to restrict heavy vehicles in the city to a single highway route.

Council is supporting recommendations made in a report by engineering consultancy WSP, which considered the social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects of maintaining the current dual heavy vehicle route through Ormond and Awapuni roads.

As well as recommending a single highway route, the report also considered Harper Road as the ideal connecting route from the Waimata Valley to the State Highway and preferred Hirini Street as the single access route to the port.

The results of this community engagement will help inform whether draft provisions for heavy vehicle routes are included in the regional Traffic & Parking Bylaw, up for review this year.

Acting Council chief executive David Wilson said this was an excellent opportunity for the community to have their say on an issue that affects everyone.

“There’s no doubt that having two heavy freight routes through our city impacts our community significantly. We believe that by having a single highway route, we can get our freight to port, while reducing this impact,” he said.

“This isn’t an easy discussion to have, but with the projected increase of truck numbers on our city roads, it’s important that everyone gives their views on the routes they should take.”

The community will be able to give feedback online at the Council website from 13 July until 7 August. Community drop-in sessions will be held at Council from 27-30 July from 5pm-7pm.

To give feedback, learn more and read the WSP report, see www.gdc.govt.nz.

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