MORE TRUCKS
At a public meeting held at Katikati the Transport Minister Simon Bridges and NZTA officials were jeered and booed (reported in a local newspaper). The issues being discussed were a much needed bypass and the numbers of heavy trucks passing through Katikati.
Bridges said that heavier (bigger) trucks meant fewer trucks on the road and that has ‘‘safety benefits’’ (perhaps it was about this time that the booing and jeering was loudest). Katikati averages 750 trucks a day passing through their main street. (Matamata averages 719 trucks a day).
It should be noted that Labour’s Sue Moroney has warned that Government is proposing to allow even heavier and larger trucks than the ‘‘juggernauts’’ they allowed two years ago.
As an alternative route for inter-regional trucks (re: Auckland trucks heading to Tauranga Port) it was suggested that truck use the Kaimai/SH29 Route and thus avoid Katikati/SH 2. If trucks do use this route then we in Matamata can expect more truck traffic on Broadway. Truck traffic is not the sole problem on our local roads.
The dynamics of vehicle numbers are rapidly changing. An example is that we in NZ have seen a net gain in permanent and long term arrivals in the region of 69000 (and rising) people in the past year. If about a third of them are now driving motor vehicles it must be contributing to road congestion. Trucks travelling in virtual convoys does little to help.
Two things need to be considered. Events in Katikati may impact on Matamata (more truck traffic). Second, trucks may be about to become bigger/ longer/heavier. The Government will probably do it the same way as last time. No fanfare. The first we will know about it is when the trucks are on the road. Perhaps in the near future we will see NZ’s version of the Aussies road trains driving along Broadway.
-Alan Dowling mentality of the residents who dump – anonymously of course - their despicable rubbish at your door every week. It is surprising that there is no CCTV surveillance ‘‘planted’’ in the vicinity – would that be council or police business? Worth discussion, me thinks! Then these dumpers could be identified and dealt with (particularly with the cost).