M19/9
Tauranga City Council
Minutes of the Transport Committee
Date/Time:
Tuesday, 26 February 2019 : 1:00 p.m.
Venue:
Tauranga City Council Chamber, 91 Willow Street,
Tauranga
Open Section
Members Present:
Cr Rick Curach (Chairperson)
Cr Terry Molloy (Deputy Chairperson)
Mayor Greg Brownless
Cr Larry Baldock
Cr Leanne Brown
Cr Kelvin Clout
Cr Bill Grainger
Cr Steve Morris
Cr John Robson
Non-Voting
Cr Stuart Crosby – BOPRC (Alternate)
Members Present:
Rob Campbell – NZTA (Alternate)
Mark Haseley – NZTA (Alternate)
Apologies:
Cr Max Mason
Cr Mike Williams - WBOPDC
Cr Lyall Thurston – BOPRC
Alistair Talbot – NZTA
Leave of Absence:
Cr Catherine Stewart
In Attendance:
Christine Jones, General Manager: Strategy & Growth
Martin Parkes, Acting General Manager: Infrastructure
Carlo Ellis, Acting General Manager: People & Engagement
Mathew Stewart, Principal Strategic Advisor/Committee Lead
Bruce Robinson, Principal Transport Advisor
Clare Cassidy, Senior Transport Planner
Karen Hay, Team Leader: Cycle plan Implementation
Barbara Clarke, Committee Advisor
M19/9.1
Apologies
Moved Cr Clout/Seconded Cr Grainger
That it be resolved
That the Transport Committee:
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 2 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
Receives apologies for absence from Crs Mason (TCC), Thurston
(BOPRC) and Williams (WBOPDC,) and Member Talbot (NZTA).
CARRIED unanimously
M19/9.2
Public Forum
(a)
Peter Haywood - Kulim Park Redevelopment
Key points
• Resident of Beach Road and frequent user of Kulim Park.
• Missed consultation period on Kulim Park redevelopment due to
residential relocation.
• Aware there had been significant consultation, open days, and a
volume of submissions.
• Generally, pleased with process; it was a “well thought out” plan.
• Important to separate vehicles from pedestrians for safety.
• All cars should be kept to the harbour side of the access road.
• A maximum of 30 car parks and 5 freedom camper parks was
appropriate.
• Concerned with parking on grassed berms; designated parks were
needed.
• Additional overflow carparks during events should be located in
front of the boat ramp.
• Approved the recognition of cycle initiatives.
• With proposed amendments, he endorsed the plan and urged the
Council to move forward with implementation.
Staff in response to questions
• Since the newspaper article, Council had received six further
statements from the public in support of the project, and one that
was non-comital.
Items for staff follow up
• Mr Haywood was requested to provide a copy of his written
submission to staff for circulation by email to Elected Members.
• Staff were requested to keep Mr Haywood appraised of updates
during the Kulim Park Reserve Management Plan process.
(b)
Philip Brown – Tauranga E Bike Highways
Scope of presentation
• He was President of Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers
Association (PRRA), and a qualified Traffic Engineer who
maintained an interest;
• Local roading network at peak capacity/growth issue;
• Cost of public transport;
• Personal transport modes worked;
• Public transportation paradigm solution was E bikes;
• Creating E bike highway;
• Benefits for residents of Papamoa and Te Tumu;
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 3 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
• Using railway reserves to connect Omokoroa and Welcome Bay
attendance providing social value.
Mr Brown in response to questions
• He had not communicated with KiwiRail in relation to the utilisation
of the rail corridor.
• There were options for an E bike highway to cross SH29, but
details of the concept had yet to be developed.
• He had not consulted with the iwi/hapu of the Matapihi peninsular.
• The matter required further investigation in its entirety.
• The route shown in his presentation was unobstructed and
continuous.
Through the Chairperson, staff noted that public safety in the proximity
of railway tracks was not only an issue of primary concern to KiwiRail,
but to Council.
Items for staff follow-up
• Staff were requested to contact KiwiRail to ascertain its position on
the potential utilisation of the rail corridor for this purpose, and to
circulate the response via email to Elected Members and Mr
Brown. It was also requested that the background to the question
and the response be provided to Transport Minister Phil Twyford
as a matter of record.
The Chairperson noted Council’s investment, support for investigation,
and interest in the provision of cycle ways.
(c)
Les Wallen - Greerton Traffic / Road Improvements (Restoration)
Key points
• Greerton Village traffic improvements were ineffective and
unpopular.
• An incorrect solution had been applied resulting in congestion and
compounding issues.
• Traffic calming on Manson Road was not required.
• Greerton businesses experienced profit losses, more empty
shops.
• Access for emergency vehicles had been negatively impacted.
• Less carparks for shoppers now.
• Chadwick Road pedestrian crossing dangerous as it was located
too close to the roundabout.
• Truck and trailer units were compromised when stopped by
pedestrians using the crossing (due to the length of their vehicles).
• Shoppers now avoided Greerton in favour of Gate Pa or Fraser
Cove shops due to access issues.
• Greerton accidents prior to traffic improvements, (as reported in
BOP times), were disputed, as not logged with Fire Service (who
attended).
• Sought reinstatement of prior traffic situation.
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 4 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
(d)
James Hughes – Bus Lane from BayPark Link to Hewletts Road
(Greater Tauranga)
Key points
• Here to restate need for bus lane from BayPark Link connecting
onto Hewletts Road.
• Had presented options previously.
• As the project was currently under construction, it was a timely
opportunity to connect the bus lane.
• Infrastructure was already in place.
• Approximately twice per week car transporters unloaded in the
bus lane, blocking buses and cyclists. Police considered this a
parking issue, but it was a state highway.
Mr Campbell (NZTA) in response to a question
• NZTA had contacted parties blocking the bus lane and some had
rearranged their operations. Actions being taken accordingly.
(e)
Heidi Hughes – Arataki Corridor Study (Greater Tauranga)
Key points
• Arataki Corridor Study undertaken in response to the BayFair to
BayPark project disruption/traffic congestion, and to increase use
of public transport.
• Original stakeholder engagement wide with an advanced concept
plan presented.
• Transport planners had been firm on bus and cycle lane locations
from the start.
• Links Avenue:
o Concerned with bus lanes now in Links Ave, as no space
for cycles, and none of the safety measures yet in place.
o Rubbish trucks added to congestion and cars parked in the
bus lane.
o Issues had resulted for students on their first day back at
school, as they were faced with traffic changes made
during school holidays.
• Concerned with implementation and communications to
community, no apparent coordination of project stages.
• Sought that Council reference the overall plan in future.
• A need to ensure connectivity with current projects when
anticipating multi-model network.
• City wide plan required to avoid missteps.
• Risk averse approach not working.
Ms Hughes responded to a question
• Links Avenue needed a wide, shared path for all users. This was
part of the project and was achievable on that street. The roll out
of the project was an issue as this had not been achieved for the
community before other aspects were taken away.
• The plan was beneficial for the community, but timing and
communications were important to get community acceptance.
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 5 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
Staff advised that the Chief Executive was looking at the issue of
community engagement and communications, particularly around
transport and urban form.
(f)
Carol Gordon – Public Transport Failure
Key points
• Spoke as an individual (not on behalf of Greater Tauranga).
• Tauranga’s public transport system today was a systemic failure,
as despite years of collaborative planning, the vulnerable were
abandoned and their safety compromised with the rollout.
• Elderly users were reliant on public transport system, and had
been left stranded on the side of the road.
• This Council did not design the totality of the roads, or hold the
contract, but was part of decision making, Blueprint processes,
budgets and systems.
• All parties were responsible for the outcome caused by many
facets of systemic failure.
• Tauranga City had infrastructure responsibilities not adequately
underway at the time of the new bus scheduling.
• The urgent challenge was national and local capacity to undertake
an integrated response to global megatrends. These trends were
part of a new Transport paradigm. Council’s understanding of
them was important.
• As a social scientist, she had undertaken research for
SmartGrowth and BOPRC, and had presented submissions to this
Council on the relevance of issues for age-friendly urban planning
and transport policy matters.
• Feedback from users interviewed, was that buses did not go
where people needed to go. More shelters, seating, crossings,
better signs and timetables were required.
• There was no sub-regional or regional working group addressing a
framework for the transport vision for tomorrow that started today.
• Tauranga Urban Strategy was an excellent document and all
those who had worked on it were commended. It was helpful in
guiding the growth and development of liveable communities.
M19/9.3
Change to the Order of Business
Moved Cr Grainger/Seconded Cr Clout
That it be resolved
That the Transport Committee:
Amends the order of business so that the first item on the
Agenda be report DC6 titled Petition: Greerton Village Traffic
Safety Improvements, in order to release members of the public
in attendance for this item.
CARRIED unanimously
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 6 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
Confirmation of minutes, matters arising and adoption of recommendations
M19/9.4
Confirmation of minutes
Moved Cr Morris/Seconded Cr Baldock
That it be resolved
That the Transport Committee:
(a)
Confirms the minutes of the following meetings as a true
and correct record (and the recommendations contained
therein be adopted [if relevant]).
(a) M18/107 Transport Committee
10.12.2018
CARRIED unanimously
Matter arising
• Council’s request to Police to increase monitoring of driver behaviour in
Arataki was being followed up and would be reported back by email.
Staff response to a question
• Other matters for staff follow up would be addressed by staff during the
presentation of the Transportation update report on the agenda.
Moved Cr Curach/Seconded Cr Molloy
That it be resolved
That the Transport Committee:
(b)
Confirms the minutes of the following meetings as a true
and correct record (and the recommendations contained
therein be adopted [if relevant]).
(b) M18/106 Temporary Road Closure
Subcommittee
10.12.2018
(c) M19/1
Temporary Road Closure
Subcommittee
31.01.2019
(d) M19/4
Temporary Road Closure
Subcommittee
18.02.2019
CARRIED unanimously
M19/9.5
Declarations of conflicts of interest
No conflicts of interest were declared.
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 7 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
Business
M19/9.6
DC6 – Petition: Greerton Village Traffic Safety Improvements
The following items were tabled at the request of persons who were unable to
attend, and the Chairperson took these as read.
Tabled Item (1)
Sally Benning and Greerton Village Business Owners re:
Greerton roading.
Tabled Item (2)
Kevin Russo re: Greerton roading.
Tabled Item (3)
Bryan Cox re: Greerton roading.
Christine Jones, General Manager: Strategy & Growth introduced the report.
Points raised by Elected Members
• MP Clayton Mitchell had intended to be at the meeting to discuss toll
removal, but had tendered an apology as he had been unable to attend.
• The petition showed resident’s concerns but had not requested actions.
• The efforts of the organiser and petitioners were appreciated.
At the recommendation of staff, the Chairperson directed that the Committee
receive the report and petition, then move to the following item on the agenda,
(Transportation Projects), which would allow the Committee to consider
transportation projects as a whole, but in particular, to consider the Greerton
project as the first priority while members of the public were present.
Moved Cr Clout/Seconded Cr Morris
That it be resolved
That the Transport Committee:
(a)
Receives report DC6 titled Petition: Greerton Village
Traffic Safety Improvements.
(b)
Receives the petition provided with signatures of those
people who are against the roading improvements at
Greerton Village.
CARRIED unanimously
M19/9.7
DC7 - Transportation Projects - January 2019 Monitoring Report
A
Greerton Traffic Project
Martin Parkes, Acting General Manager: Infrastructure, provided an
update on the Greerton traffic project, noting that Council had entered
into the monitoring phase. He and Christine Jones, General Manager:
Strategy & Growth responded to questions.
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 8 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
Staff responses to questions
• Traffic Control Centre monitoring of traffic flows/journey times.
• NZ Police crash data provided to Elected Members via email.
• Removal of Route K tolls not in Council’s jurisdiction; Council could
only pass on request received via petition.
• Fifteenth Avenue connection recognised as critical to network.
NZTA would not consider outside the Tauranga Northern Link (TNL)
corridor.
• St Johns access from Seventeenth Avenue to Takitimu (potentially
via emergency vehicle only link) had not been considered; likely
engineering issues.
• In relation to potential under/overpass in Greerton, an initial
overview could be undertaken. Such passes tended to take up a lot
of land space, potentially resulting in loss of greenery and parking.
• Acknowledged long standing traffic congestion issues on Greerton
section of Cameron Road; impacted by significant population
growth last two years. Complex issues; solutions challenging.
• Pedestrian crossings in Greerton compliant with current design
standards. Nothing from safety audit to indicate location of
crossings should change. Had adjusted delayed timing for
pedestrians.
• Never two lanes through Greerton, but were two lanes approaches
to roundabouts. Traffic had slowed but flowed better through
roundabout. Safety goals achieved, as prior performance at
roundabouts poor with a number of crashes.
• Since original project overview 2015/16, budget, process and
objectives had been delivered on. If Council sought review of
performance other than safety, an independent assessment could
be undertaken.
• Buses could be included as part of a review. Each site would be
considered on its merits. Some roundabouts were too small for the
traffic volume they were in existence to deal with.
Rob Campbell (NZTA) responded to questions on the following
• Had been past discussions with St Johns in relation to connection
to Takitimu Drive. Could be further discussion; aware engineering
issues likely.
3.08 p.m.
Member Campbell (NZTA alternate)
withdrew from the meeting.
Christine Jones, General Manager: Strategy & Growth advised that a
community review of engagement and a safety review (of physical
works) were currently planned.
Items for staff follow up
• Staff were requested to write to the Minister in relation to the need
for NZTA to start immediate work on a connection from Fifteenth
Avenue to Takitimu Drive (part of the TNL), with a view to alleviating
congestion at Cameron Road/Greerton.
• Staff were requested to write to Police, Fire Service and Ambulance
(first
responders),
seeking
their
position
on
access
to
Takitimu/Greerton Village via Cameron Road.
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 9 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
• Staff were requested to engage consultants to scope and identify
options for Greerton Village in relation to the following:
o
improving traffic flows, including bus and emergency
services priorities in the short-medium term;
o
opportunities for an underpass or overpass for pedestrians;
o
exploring benefits or issues in moving the current pedestrian
light signalisation further to the north; and
o
report back to the Committee.
3.20 p.m.
The meeting was
adjourned.
3.40 p.m.
The meeting was
reconvened.
B
Transportation Projects – Appendix A
The Chairperson noted that Member Rob Campbell had been called
away. Mark Haseley, (Principal Transport Planner, NZTA), was in
attendance to respond to any questions of clarification.
He advised that
DC7 Appendix A: Transportation Projects: January
2019 would now be considered project-by-project.
Bruce Robertson, Principal Transport Advisor provided a verbal update
on the Tauranga Transport Model.
Staff responded to questions on the following projects
• City wide Speed Management Plan;
• Tauranga Transport Model;
• Parking Plan;
• Dive Crescent demolition/carparks;
• Grenada Street cycleway trial;
• Girven Road improvements;
• Cameron Road corridor improvements;
• Arataki bus interchange;
• Bus interchange city centre;
• Ngatai Road improvements;
• Totara Street corridor;
• Maranui Street upgrade;
• Resealing Oriental Parade;
• Domain road deteriorated condition;
• Fifteenth Avenue and Turret Road;
• Hairini Causeway/Turret Road;
• LED streetlights upgrade;
• Park n’ Ride study;
• NZTA funding;
• Barkes Corner traffic signals.
5.25 p.m.
Cr Baldock
withdrew from the meeting.
• State Highway 29 / Cambridge Road intersection;
• State Highway 2 / Elizabeth Street roundabout;
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
- 10 -
Transport Committee 26.02.2019
5.35 p.m.
Cr Morris
withdrew from the meeting.
• Maungatapu underpass / Hairini;
• Hewletts Road.
• Seventeenth Avenue link for emergency vehicles.
Items for staff follow up
• Staff were requested to provide further detail in relation to the road
surface in the Oriental Parade area.
• Staff were requested to provide further information in relation to
potholes in Maranui Street.
• Staff were requested to provide further detail about the sequencing
rollout for the replacement of existing streetlights with LED
luminaries.
Moved Cr Clout/Seconded Cr Robson
That it be resolved
That the Transport Committee:
Received report DC7 titled Transportation Projects January 2019
Monitoring Report.
CARRIED unanimously
M19/9.8
Tauranga Cycle Plan Update - Councillors' presentation on a visit to
Christchurch City in relation to Cycleways
Following indications from Members, the Chairperson ruled that the item be
deferred to a future workshop to ensure there would be sufficient time for
discussion.
_________________________________
The meeting closed at 6.00 p.m.
_________________________________
Confirmed by resolution of Council
passed the 16th day of April 2019.
___________________________________
Chairperson
Objective ID: A9824227
Open Section
Confirmed by the Council on 16 April 2019
