Central Hawke’s Bay drivers’ Facebook page hits 2000 members

CHB traffic updates include delays at road works, detours or closures due to crashes, flooding or livestock on the road. Photo / Warren Buckland

A Central Hawke’s Bay woman who started a Facebook page to keep locals up to speed with traffic delays expected to attract a “couple of hundred” members.

The page, created at the end of March, has just ticked over 2000 members sharing warnings about road works, delays, stock on the roads, pot-holes, or checking in before they travel.

“There are a lot of us who travel up and down the Bay each day to work and it was hard having a lack of updates on hazards and travel times,” says page creator Terri Smith.

“I had been thinking for a while how great it would be to have a CHB traffic page. I had seen posts and comments about the roads, delays and accidents posted in our community chat ‘Talk CHB’ so I thought, why not make a traffic group?

“I wasn’t expecting such a huge response to be honest, I thought maybe a couple of hundred people would join but now we have reached 2000 members and I am accepting more people into the group each day. It’s great!”

Terri says she is getting a lot of positive feedback from drivers who appreciate the timely local information.

Potholes on the road are among the topics covered.

“The biggest benefit is having live traffic updates. Some people leave for work early in the morning and provide updates of the road conditions. By the time I head to work, we are aware of any roading issues.”

Updates include delays at road works, detours or closures due to crashes, flooding or livestock on the road. Drivers will post that there is “fog between Otane and Hastings” or “a clear run from Pukehou to Hastings this morning”.

Others check in to ask what the traffic is like - should they allow extra time to get to an appointment in Hastings or Napier?

Pot-hole warnings are frequent and appreciated, last week including “pot-hole on the passing lanes between Waipukurau and Waipawa (outside lane heading towards Waipawa)”.

Terri says ”The most common reports at the moment are the potholes, but it’s great because having reports of the holes and where they were located means I can avoid them. If I didn’t have any updates I would hit those holes and would have to join the lineup further down the road to change a tyre.”

Alerts about police checkpoints are not welcomed on the site. Nor are photos of road crashes.

Positive comments, however, are more than welcomed - “Waipukurau to Hastings this morning, heaps of good signage, cones . . . drive to conditions and all is good … huge thank you to the workers for working these last few days and nights to keep us safe, your service is appreciated.”

Terri says: “I am grateful for all of the lovely people in the CHB traffic updates group and I hope to see it grow even more for our Central Hawke’s Bay road users.”