Don’t forget about Woodville
Highway traffic has bypassed the small town of Woodville for months and its business owners want their customers back.
Many spoke with frustration at a Woodville Vision Community Board meeting on Tuesday night about drastic reductions in their trade and a need for immediate action.
The problem arose when State Highway 3 through the Manawatu Gorge was closed by major slips in late April, blocking the main route between Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay.
Since then, traffic has been diverted to the Saddle Rd and Pahiatua Track, both notoriously windy and slow.
And once travellers reach the Hawke’s Bay side, detour signage and online digital maps now direct the flow of traffic to bypass Woodville, according to the quickest route.
The New Zealand Transport Agency has said it was not yet known when the gorge road could reopen.
About 50 residents and businesspeople attended the meeting, including Neil Brumby, of the Woodville Lions, who said the detour had not been well considered.
‘‘Three-hundred-and-sixty-five days a week we had traffic pass through the village. There’s a blockage in the Gorge and suddenly signs go up all over the place with bypasses.
‘‘Why are they out there? Take them out. We want the people to come through the village.’’
Richard Kawau, of the New Central Motor Inn, said no truckies had stayed at his motel in the past three weeks. Typically, he has three a week.
‘‘If you want me here in 12 months’ time and paying rates, I need help now – we all need help now,’’ he told Tararua District Council representatives.
Photographer Bruce Hutton said it was time the Government intervened with assistance, as it had for businesses in Kaikoura affected by the closure of SH1 after last November’s earthquake.
On Wednesday, transport agency senior manager Ross I’anson said roading workers were putting up more signage at the end of the week to make sure people were aware of the detour route through Ashhurst and Woodville.
The agency was open to changing the route if it would help guide traffic through Woodville better, he said.
‘‘We are aware of the frustrations of business owners and are continuing to engage with Tararua District Council on the impacts of the gorge closure.’’
Other ideas proposed at the meeting were advertising to target travellers, shopping promotions tied in to national events like the British and Irish Lions tour, events, steam train excursions to the town and briefing i-site staff in surrounding towns and districts to promote Woodville attractions.
Latest council figures show that only about 57 per cent of traffic was passing through Woodville in June – down by about 70 per cent compared to the previous month.
Mayor Tracey Collis said her ‘‘heart just sunk’’ when she saw the figures.
The count showed the trend had declined since the gorge was closed.
In June, there were about 5500 vehicles a day on the Saddle Rd. Of those, about 3100 took Woodlands Rd – bypassing Woodville completely, she said.
‘‘It’s really affected [businesses] financially, but also, you’re preparing for business every day and opening your doors ready for business, and then to have nobody coming is pretty hard to take.’’
Collis hoped signage could help, but suggestions that blocking roads could be used to bring traffic back through Woodville were not realistic.
A meeting between Collis, the transport agency, and Palmerston North City Council mayor Grant Smith had been scheduled for August 29 to talk about long-term solutions.
‘‘My focus is on getting the gorge open as fast as we can, but the business owners need to know where they are going long term.’’