Links Ave community panel spokespeople Dan McLean and Sophie Merwe. Photo / Talia Parker
Links Ave community panel spokespeople Dan McLean and Sophie Merwe. Photo / Talia Parker
The newly-created community panel tasked with solving the problem of too much traffic on Links Ave says it wants to hear as many voices as possible.
Tauranga City Council's second trial turning Links Ave into cul-de-sac began in March, aiming to address the problem of vehicles using the road as a rat run. The street is used by children walking and cycling to school.
Only authorised vehicles are now able to drive through the road, with a $150 fine for anyone else who uses it.
A petition with more than 5000 signatures sought to have the fines refunded after nearly 17,000 were issued in the first three months, but this was denied by council.
The council has created the community panel to find a solution to managing the traffic flow, which would include community input.
"I like to think I am a proactive person, and so rather than just sit and whinge, I contacted council and put my thoughts forward," Merwe said.
Links Ave community panel spokespeople Dan McLean and Sophie Merwe on Links Ave. Photo / Talia Parker
"I was a little bit disappointed that we weren't consulted... but I think now council have realised that, and they have come up with a great plan to address that."
Merwe said she had mixed feelings about the trial.
On the one hand the "quietness of the street" was nice, she said.
"But it is really frustrating when I am coming back from Pāpāmoa or Bayfair, you have to go all the way round. I have got two young kids, they are screaming, it flairs your anger a wee bit."
Both she and McLean said being part of the panel had opened their eyes to other perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of the trial.
Merwe said they have heard from other people being really impacted in terms of isolation.
"So that is something we have included in all our thinking."
"And cyclists, with the current road, it is all quite gravelly... so there are all [those] things that we are taking on board."
Merwe said the panel will be bringing in a "reference group" of other people who expressed interest in joining the panel to discuss the eventual proposal.
"It is really important to us that it is not just us, we want everyone to have a say... to make sure we hear as many voices as possible."
Links Ave cul-de-sac trial in 2021. Photo / NZME
She said the panel also has the opportunity to have independent experts give feedback on their ideas, which she said they were looking into once they have a proposal.
It was too early at this stage to discuss specific ideas, she said, and she wanted the reference group to have a chance to give feedback first.
"While we are all different, we have got slightly different ideas, we are generally on the same page - personally, I go home after a panel meeting quite energised."
McLean also lives nearby and said the first trial in 2021 had "dramatically affected" him and his family, so he wanted to get involved.
He said the current trial had addressed the safety of schoolkids and was not a problem for him, but being part of the panel had opened his eyes to other people's experiences.
McLean came in thinking that "you can change nothing and I had be absolutely happy with that", but stories from fellow panel members "changed my mind instantly".
He said there was "a really genuine sense among this group of people that we want to come up with a great proposal that works for the majority - but that is easier said than done".
There were many people impacted by the situation. "So it does make it really problematic to just come up with one solution."
McLean said the panel was working to create a proposal for a solution in a process that engaged everyone.
He said he had found the council "accommodating all the way through" the panel's work.
Both McLean and Merwe said it was too early to say how soon a solution would be developed, but they wanted to balance between getting it right and not letting it drag on.
