Roading improvements at Seventh Avenue and Twelfth Avenue made as part of the 2021-2024 upgrade of Cameron Road will remain in place it was decided yesterday.

Tauranga City Council’s City Delivery Committee was presented with options for the future of the two city centre intersections following concerns raised by local businesses about the improvements limiting their customers’ ability to reach them. For Seventh Avenue, there was also concern that reduced access was affecting leasing opportunities.

Councillors acknowledged that the feedback received from the community did not give this outcome unanimous support but they were making decisions for the future. They recognised that businesses had already suffered from long delays on Cameron Road Stage 1, and they felt that the roading improvements already made were the best option.

A vote was carried to maintain the status quo of the Seventh Avenue cul de sac because reopening the intersection with Cameron Road would result in a loss of parking on Cameron Road which a recent survey identified was of high value to local businesses and had implications for the future form and function of Cameron Road.

Parking concerns raised by both residents and businesses as part of the survey also identified the need to provide more parking in the area, so a vote was also carried to add additional on-street parking on Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Avenues.

While there was real concern expressed for the challenges experienced by the businesses on Twelfth Avenue, a decision was made to keep the ‘no right turn’ from Cameron Road into Twelfth Avenue in place due to safety concerns with vehicles having to cross two traffic lanes, a bus lane and a cycleway when making a right turn into Twelve Avenue.

Head of Transport Mike Seabourne told the committee that because the Cameron Road improvements had been designed to accommodate future growth in the city, particularly in Te Papa and Tauriko West, it was a very “future-like” design which he acknowledged was “awkward” for the community to understand and get behind.

Councillor Kevin Schuler said it was important to address the parking issues identified in the Seventh Avenue area so he believed that should be done now and if there was still ongoing disquiet about the cul de sac that a decision about reopening it could be revisited later.

Councillor Marten Rozeboom said reinstating a right turn into Twelfth Avenue from Cameron Road would affect the flow of traffic between Fifteenth Avenue and Elizabeth Street, and while some people were always disaffected or disadvantaged by change, it was working well for most of Tauranga.

Councillor Rod Taylor said while the rush of the Cameron Road project and the impact of COVID-19 meant that consultation at the time “wasn’t 100%” there has now been an opportunity for the community to be heard. “The result isn’t going to be what everyone is wanting but the fact we’ve looked at it again is good for the community and a lot of people now understand the design of the road and long-term intention.”

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