Business leaders and the heavy traffic industry say Waipā District Council’s lack of consultation with them over major arterial route changes is concerning.
Their comments come after the council released an independent post construction audit of work done at the Shakespeare and Cook streets roundabout in Leamington.
Waipā’s Bryan Hudson says truck and trailer unit drivers should take a wider berth, like this one does. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The roading industry and emergency services are concerned other changes in Cambridge – speed humps, more pedestrian crossings and cycleways – had occurred without any discussion.
The desktop study and site observation report from Safe System Solution found the Shakespeare St roundabout now had a better shared path space, slower speeds and improved pedestrian safety as a result of the work. It recommended minor safety improvements.
Kelly Bouzaid
But Cambridge Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kelly Bouzaid said she continued to have serious safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists, “especially due to the limited field of view and left-hand blind spot of trucks as they enter the roundabout while focusing to the right.
The lack of consultation with the heavy haulage industry was a primary concern.
“There is increasing frustration among operators that decisions made by Waipā District Council are affecting the freight industry without any effort to listen to or involve them in the process.”
Transportation manager Bryan Hudson told this week’s Service Delivery committee he acknowledged the speed of the work meant consultation with the heavy traffic industry had not been possible.
Bryan Hudson
But he said the council’s safety traffic team had noted the crossing – designed for pedestrians and cyclists to give way to traffic – had been working well.
Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk who went public with her concerns last month – to the annoyance of some of her colleagues – said she was aware the trucking industry wanted a greater say.
The review suggested making line marking changes on the roundabout, adding pedestrian and hump signage and realign a kerb line at the Cook Street end of the roundabout. This is the area where vehicles have been riding over the kerb and damaging the grass.
See: Roundabout ruckus
See: Roundabout review released
Looking north to the Shakespeare Street roundabout with a truck turning out of Cook Street early on Tuesday morning. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
