Logging trucks on road criticised
COMPLAINING about logging trucks after buying property next to a commercial forest is like living next to an airport and being surprised by planes landing, a forestry chief executive says.
City Forests chief executive Grant Dobson made the comments after residents said logging trucks had gouged holes in a road north of Dunedin, leaving it almost impassable for other motorists.
‘‘These people have bought houses on borders to an access road to a forest that has been there for 50 years.
‘‘It shouldn't be a surprise to them that there’s logging happening.
‘‘It’s a bit like buying a house by the airport and getting surprised when the first plane lands,’’ Mr Dobson said.
Jones Rd, near Evansdale, is an open access road used by logging trucks to transport timber from the Silverpeaks forest.
Geoff Stanger, a resident living next to Jones Rd, said there were parts of the road he could not get his car over.
Big holes had formed that would scrape the bottom of cars, he said.
‘‘I’m probably one of the fortunate ones because I have a fourwheel drive,’’ he said.
‘‘This road isn’t made for [logging trucks].’’
About 15 logging trucks had driven down the road every day for the last three months, he said.
Lynall Gavin, a resident who has to drive down Jones Rd to get home, said there was no gravel to stop water flowing down the road and wanted it maintained to ensure access was safe, before it was too late.
‘‘They’ve got to do their job, we all understand that.
‘‘However, if we’re going up the hill and a logging truck is going down the hill and it rains, one of us is going to have trouble stopping sooner or later.’’
Mr Gavin shared his concerns with the Waikouaiti
Coast Community Board on Wednesday.
They confirmed remedial action would take place within the next seven days.
Mr Dobson said logging truck traffic on rural roads was always a little contentious.
‘‘We do take our road use responsibly and we do try to work in with the local residents where we can,’’ he said.
‘‘At the same time, we do have a number of vehicle movements and it does have an impact sometimes on what used to be a quiet road—it’s not quiet anymore.’’
This was not the first time timber had been harvested there — the second time in the last 4 years — and it was only a matter of weeks or months until they were finished.
A Dunedin City Council spokesperson acknowledged the damage to the road and said maintenance would be conducted.
‘‘We’re aware of damage to Jones Rd, which is largely the result of recent heavy rain scouring the surface, exacerbated by vehicle movements.
‘‘We have talked to a number of residents about their concerns and we are carrying out maintenance this week, including grading the road and laying new gravel.
‘‘The road remains safe to use but we remind all road users to always take care.’’