Trucks banned from controversial shortcut

Trucks are to be banned from using the popular shortcut connecting Waihi Rd and Moffat Rd after a groundswell of protest from Bethlehem Heights residents.

The Tauranga City Council yesterday agreed to introduce the heavy traffic ban after a barrage of complaints from Beaumaris Boulevard residents that their once quiet residential street had become a popular shortcut for trucks since the link road opened two years ago.

Leading the submitters to the council's traffic and parking bylaw review was boulevard resident David Flatt, who said that residents' predictions of what would happen had come true.

He said there had been a significant increase in through traffic that was simply using Beaumaris Boulevard as a shortcut _ including big trucks.

Mr Flatt reeled off a long list of the types of trucks and names of the carriers that he saw going up and down Beaumaris Boulevard every day.

Residents were successful in persuading the council to extend the existing heavy traffic ban covering the city end of Cambridge Rd, including Sterling Gate Drive.

It will now also include Beaumaris Boulevard and the rest of the adjoining streets in Bethlehem Heights.

The residents were supported by council roading staff who said that enforcement would be the responsibility of police.

Truckies would not be ticketed if they had legitimate business there.

Mr Flatt said afterwards that he was delighted with the council's decision.

"It is fair and equitable, and that is what we asked for.''

The city was made up of neighbourhoods, many with distinctive characters, and that was exactly what the Bethlehem triangle was.

"It was a pity that the ban could not have happened earlier.''

Asked about the scale of the problem, Mr Flatt said there was not a constant procession of trucks, but they were using Beaumaris Boulevard as a shortcut on a ``reasonably regular basis''.

"I started taking a log of the trucks coming through but gave up in the end . . . We are talking some big truck and trailer units.''

Mr Flatt said that sadly all the things that residents told the independent commissioner at the link road's consent hearing had come true.

"There were over 300 submissions to the hearing and we got nowhere.''