Petition to the Tauranga City Council 25 November 2021
re: Links Avenue cul-de-sac trial
Attached is a petition requesting:-
(a) An immediate end to the cul-de-sac trial in Links Avenue.
(b) The end to any proposal to make any changes to the street layout of Links Avenue
(c) To consult properly with a committee of road users and residents to ascertain a more practical and sensible way of solving the problems that are perceived to exist.
We wish to have all traffic restrictions lifted within 48 hours after the council receives this letter and the barriers moved out of the way in a safe fashion as soon as possible.
This is necessary, even though a hearing may be a little way off yet, because the traffic disruption to Links Avenue and the alternate route along Oceanbeach Road is not only causing severe inconvenience but also has the potential to cause vehicle accidents and could endanger the lives of pedestrians who, as we all know, frequently cross the road with children to get to and from the beach. The advent of the Summer, season school holidays and visitors will bring about an increase in the volume of traffic and exacerbate the danger. This is not a frivolous request; there is real danger in this situation.
Brendan Bisley was reported in Tuesday's BOPT as having said that he would be interested in seeing the results of PRRA's survey. He was sent an interim copy of the comments on 12 November 2021. A final detailed copy of the results and comments will be made available as soon as we know that the council has accepted and will deal with the petition. The survey is still a live exercise and more results will be available by the time the hearing takes place.
The number of replies is approaching 1000 and of those about 97% are against the trial and any long term closure proposal. We expect, of course, a quid pro quo from Brendan, namely, full disclosure of the results of the council's survey and reports on consultation, and any research material that has been gathered.
Attached are 20 signatories to the Petition Application.
“The problem in Links Ave is the Bus Lane and only the removal of the Bus Lane will reduce the safety concerns as identified in the Safety Report”
Take part in the Links Ave Survey. Click here >>
Proposal for Bus Lanes down either side of B2B. Se3nt to Ministry of Transport, Members of Partliament, NZTA, WBOPRC, TCC.
A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. Sent to NZTA, TCC and BOPRC who all share responsibilty for buses in Tauranga
Links Ave & B2B Bus Lanes Tauranga December 2021
Summary
A very important public transport opportunity/problem has developed in the local Bayfair area and the B2B (Baypark to Bayfair) link is part of the solution.
Problem
Currently all local buses in this area are routed through Bayfair and use a “trial” bus lane that has been created on a typical 2 lane suburban street. (in effect 3 lanes on a former 2 lane road with a high volume of schoolchildren and cyclists). This is Links Ave and there is a school on the road.
Nowhere in the world is there a high frequency bus lane passing thru a residential area. A TCC commissioned Safety Report on the Bus Lane found there is a high potential of an incident between a bus and a schoolchild.
As a result, it looks like Tauranga City Council wishes to permanently cul de sac this road and currently has imposed a trial closure of the road. This is having huge negative impacts on local traffic flows, increased travel times, inconvenience, new safety issues on adjacent roads, increased carbon emissions, grid lock. A closure does not remove the bus v schoolchild clash potential.
The Safety Report suggests another solution – the removal of the bus lane.
The first priority for Links Ave is safety for the children. The second priority is amenity for the community. This can only be achieved by removal of the Bus Lanes.
As coastal Papamoa develops and spreads down the coast to Te Tumu and beyond, buses will provide the public transport from there to/from Tauranga. To be an effective and compelling option, the bus travel time needs to be similar to using your car. BOPRC/TCC have announced that express buses are the plan for the future.
However, these buses will be routed thru Links Ave or if they stay on the B2B then they will be slowed up by the stationary morning and afternoon peak traffic. Either option is a reduction in service levels and lengthening of bus travel times.
Solution
There is a solution which will overcome both of these problems and fits nicely with the current government thinking on public transport. This solution requires open minds.
The solution is to create separate bus lanes on the sides of the B2B from Baypark to Hewletts Rd and remove the need for buses to travel along Links Ave.
These are additional lanes. This will provide fast dependable trip times and give buses an equivalency with car travel times. (Think of the Northern Bus Expressway in Auckland as the concept). There are a couple of pinch points, but they are solvable with the right attitude.
These bus lanes would not use the overbridge at Bayfair but use the slip roads at the Bayfair rotary with bus stops on the slip roads. The Bayfair Underpass is the path for passengers to move between the bus stops and the Bayfair Shopping Centre.
Most buses do not need to go into Bayfair, Farm St or Links Ave. They can down the B2B. This may reduce the requirements for a bus interchange on Girven Rd at Bayfair.
The construction of the bus lanes can be a part of the existing B2B contract.
The idea of bus lanes on the B2B is not new, what is new is the rapid rate of development, coastal growth and overloading of the current roading system in peak morning and afternoon periods.
This idea has been presented in high level detail to Anne Tolley Commissioner Tauranga and to Andrew von Dadelszen BOPRC councillor last week.
A new solution is now needed to future proof the bus lanes, it needs new thinking and a willingness from the incumbents (TCC, WBOPRC and NZTA/Waka Kotari) to get out of their silos and work with the community.
We, the community are willing to meet to discuss this working as a team.
Yours sincerely
Philip Brown
Chair Papamoa Residents & Ratepayers Association E: chairprra@gmail.com
