Wainui residents angry at closure

A truck losing its load of glass on the Wainuiomata Hill caused a furious reaction on social media. The incident last Friday blocked the road for just over an hour.

Earlier in the year a push to build a tunnel from Seaview to Wainuiomata was rejected when Hutt City Council staff said the cost would be prohibitive.

On Friday the Hutt News put a small story on its Facebook site and it soon had 30,000 hits and a hundred comments.Beca Jane, vented her anger at the council.

‘‘How many times will this be brought up for NO ONE to do anything about it … if anything happens people are trapped. No one will listen because Wainuiomata ‘isn’t worth it’. Instead let’s do all of these other things to improve other areas except Wainuiomata where the businesses and local places are crumbling.’’

Mako Jax was equally unimpressed. ‘‘There have been many stop-start proposals over decades and Hutt City Council always finds a way to wriggle out of it. They have neglected Wainuiomata for decades and fully intend to continue doing so.’’

Greggie Shaw blamed the mayor. ‘‘I saw a cheeky report from Mayor Ray Wallace that he wants to turn Lower Hutt CBD into glassy Gold Coast high rise apartment complexes. How about focusing on a fairly large part of Lower Hutt called Wainuiomata.’’

Wallace replied by pointing out residents recently rejected a second access road.

‘‘The issue was put to the community in 2013 with the majority of the thousand plus submissions opposing it. Council went with those community views at the time,’’ he said.

Tania Cooper did not agree there was a problem. ‘‘The same can be said for Eastbourne, one road in and out. Why do people buy in places knowing the only option to and from Wainuiomata is the hill and then grizzle and blame others for not caring.’’

Roy Woolimas pointed out the obvious. ‘‘It would have made a big difference if the dude driving the recycling truck had secured his load.’’