Greerton's traffic safety upgrades has attracted a lot of criticism since works began in April. We visited the village to ask people what they thought about the project.
Greerton retailing icon Belinda Sands wants to cry when her customers say they don't want to visit anymore.
It has nothing to do with Sands or her Greerton Lotto shop - officially Tauranga's luckiest Lotto outlet. Instead, she believes it's the new traffic layout outside.
"Look at it. It's not a street. It's a carpark," Sands told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, pointing to stand-still traffic banked up along Cameron Rd.
It has been just over a month since the first phase of Tauranga City Council's traffic safety improvements in Greerton were finished. In that time, the council has received six complaints about them but the council says it is trying to make the crash hotspot safer.
In August and September, the Bay of Plenty Times reported on retailers' concerns about the works. Since then, frustration has spiralled.
At least 15 Greerton retailers and residents were spoken to by the Bay of Plenty Times. Of those, only Blomquist Baker owner Sue Blomquist, a board member of Greerton Village Community Association, said business was better.
"It hasn't affected us at all. We are definitely up on last year," she said.
"It looks quite nice, the new car park and new gardens."
The newly installed controlled pedestrian crossing, just a few metres from Chadwick Rd roundabout, is the main issue, retailers and residents say.
Greerton Lotto Shop's Belinda Sands is frustrated at the level of congestion outside created by new safety upgrades. Photo / Andrew Warner
Observations showed people pushing the crossing's button prompting an immediate red light for traffic. The result was a heavily backed up queue through the roundabout and stretching as far as Barkes Corner and Church St.
Sands, and other retailers, said people now avoided Greerton by travelling through back roads instead and she wanted the council to "see what they have done".
"Let's get real. We want people to come to our village - it's one of the best little shopping centres around. But people don't want to anymore because of this."
Andrew Linn, of Artisan Manufacturing Jewellers on Cameron Rd, said his business had been struggling over the past six months but hoped things would improve once the roadworks were finished.
He believed the work had "tidied up the place up" and that the new road layout's impact on traffic should not be judged until it was finished.
In August, Hong Kong Restaurant & Takeaways owner Carl Young said business dropped rapidly when the council began the works; Mostly $2 Shop's business was down 80 per cent and Jake Park from Master J Sushi said he had to take up a second job for income.
Now, Young said things were still slow but he just wanted to focus on recovering now.
"It's not just my one [business]. They've destroyed Greerton."
A Greerton resident, who would only be known as Brownie, lives nearby and said traffic had become "horrendous" and there were now more nose-to-tail crashes.
"The traffic has been diabolical. People will avoid it but you can't. This is a main road."
Mohammed Zaber, of Colorado Dairy, said things were about the same, if not worse, than when the council began the project in April.
"I appreciate their intentions but sometimes it doesn't work."
Zaber admitted he now used back roads to get to work.
Residents and retailers say congestion on Cameron Rd regularly backs up to Barkes Corner and Church St since the council made upgrades. Photo / Andrew Warner
Greerton shopper Henry Levey said the new design was "ridiculous" because the road was a main thoroughfare.
Tauranga resident Ken Evans said in his view someone could die because of "pathetic pandering to pedal pushers". He had seen a St John ambulance with lights and sirens travelling along Cameron Rd that had struggled to get through.
Dr Ross Ogle believed road planners had ruined Greerton as traffic gridlock was complete and businesses were suffering.
In response, council transport manager Martin Parkes said the project was about retaining the village feel while making Greerton safer for all road users, "particularly for people who are walking and biking because they have been over-represented in a very poor safety record in the village".
This meant encouraging drivers to slow their speed, Parkes said.
The aim was for the traffic to move slowly and reasonably steadily, but construction activity was causing extra congestion, he said.
"It's all about people's safety."
The council consulted with retailers via Greerton Village Community Association, but some retailers told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend they had not heard from anyone.
Greerton resident Liz Harland says things were better before Tauranga City Council made upgrades to the main street. Photo / Andrew Warner
Liz Harland:
"They've made it worse, that's my thoughts. I don't know why they've targeted the cars. It was a lot easier to get around Greerton before."
Aims of the Greerton traffic safety improvements:
- Improve general road safety of the Cameron Rd/Chadwick Rd intersection - Improve safety to people moving through the area by foot, bike or mobility scooter - Protect the trees - Provide additional green space and trees - Provide new cycle facilities - Retain the "village feel" Source - Tauranga City Council
