Pathway closure at Te Puke sparks controversy

The fence put up blocking the Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway in Te Puke. Photo / File

The apparently sudden closure of a section of Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway in Te Puke last week saw some locals see red and Western Bay of Plenty District Council state the situation could have been handled better.

Early last week a fence was put up across the pathway to the east of the wastewater treatment plant with a sign saying "Footpath temporarily closed. We apologise for any inconvenience".

The fence across the pathway prevented walkers, runners or cyclists completing the full circuit of the walkway.

A statement from Western Bay of Plenty Council said the pathway would be closed for some months due to KiwiRail replacing the rail bridge and diversions would be in place until February 2020.

A similar statement was posted on the council's Facebook page, bringing some negative comments, although others expressed gratitude that not all of the walkway was closed.

Western Bay Council utilities manager Kelvin Hill said the work on the old timber railway bridge had been initiated by the asset owners KiwiRail.

"The work is important to ensure the existing railway line remains operational both in the short and longer term, given the significant importance for transportation of materials and goods within the region."

Hill said the pathway ran beneath the bridge by agreement with landowners KiwiRail.

He said there was a significant risk to the general public from construction activities around the bridge area while work was being undertaken. This included high numbers of construction vehicles on the access road to the council's animal pound and treatment plant.

"For this reason the public has been restricted from this area and hence the closure of the walkway until the new concrete bridge is completed. The public walkway will then be reopened. Additionally, overhead permanent safety protection measures will be installed to protect the public using this track.''

Hill acknowledged earlier notification of the closure could have been provided.

"We regret the inconvenience to users and acknowledge we could have done a better job in communicating the closure to cycleway [and pathway] users earlier."

He said there would be positives from the work, with KiwiRail picking up the tab for renewing the walkway under the bridge and paying for the required safety fencing.

KiwiRail senior communications adviser Simon Kilroy said the council had been kept fully briefed on the project, including site meetings beginning six months ago, as well as advice in May that KiwiRail would require the pathway's closure.

"The council, which is responsible for the cycleway asset, approved the closure plan," he said.

The bridge was reaching the end of its useful life and was being replaced as part of a nationwide scheduled replacement programme.

Grant Dally, a member of Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway Trust, said the trust knew the closure was coming.

"The last we had heard was that it was going to start in August, but we had not had official word from anyone."

The walkway was officially opened in April 2018.

"It was always coming. It's unfortunate that it happened after we opened the walkway."