Surf club wants speedy action

Those responsible for the safety of beachgoers are calling on the council to take action to manage traffic on Foxton Beach.

Foxton Beach Surf Lifesaving Club chairman Shane Parlato said the club was sending a letter to Horowhenua District Council asking for the speed limit to be reduced to 10kmh for the area outside the club.

Parlato had previously spoken in support of creating a vehiclefree zone in front of the club through a new bylaw, however. he said one may not be necessary if the council found a way to manage beach traffic.

He wanted Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen and the council to work with the club and to bring their ideas to the table.

‘‘If the mayor and council don’t want bylaws, then write to me with some solutions.

‘‘We just want the beach to be a safe place for everyone.’’

Councillor Ross Brannigan said he was planning to hold a meeting with the surf club, local police and the beach wardens to discuss how the groups will manage traffic on the beach for ‘‘next summer and beyond’’.

‘‘[The plan] will definitely be in place for next year.’’

Feyen is convinced a bylaw will not be necessary to stop people driving and parking outside the club and said the people he had spoken to felt the same way. He thought motorists’ behaviour on the beach was generally good.

‘‘I’ve gone to this beach all my life and I’ve never seen anyone speeding past the surf club.’’

His ideas to manage traffic included informative signage instructing people not to park or drive in front of the club and using the beach wardens to enforce the rules.

If motorists weren’t behaving, Feyen would like to see police patrolling the beach during summer.

Up the coast at Himatangi Beach, Palmerston North Surf Lifesaving Club chairman Alec Mackay said car restrictions were not on the agenda.

People were encouraged to drive carefully when the beach was busy.

‘‘We should be promoting driving along the beach as a regional feature.’’

He did not think a vehicle-free zone on the beach would work, due to the position of the access point to the beach.

Mackay is in favour of relying on people to educate each other about beach behaviour.