Millbrook Rd residents are fed up with trucks using their road as a shortcut during the Brynderwyns closure.
Millbrook Rd residents are fed up with trucks using their road as a shortcut during the Brynderwyns closure.
Whangārei District Council is considering banning heavy trucks from a narrow gravel road being used as a shortcut while SH1 over the Brynderwyns in Northland is closed.
Several residents have written to the Northern Advocate and the Northland Transportation Alliance with “serious concerns” about logging trucks using Millbrook Rd which links the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd detour route with SH1 at Waipu.
The residents fear there is a “real likelihood of a serious accident” on the road, which has a major slip they believe will deteriorate further with heavy loads.
Ngaire Pook, who lives on nearby McAdam Rd, said she was “really scared” while driving on Millbrook Rd during a trip to Warkworth last Friday.
“I was nearly pushed into a ditch when a huge logging truck came around a corner taking up most of the road; it was very frightening.
“I was already on the left side of road. It gave me the screaming heebies. I could have been pushed over the bank easily.”
Pook said on her return trip on Sunday, she noticed a “dangerous” one-lane section next to a big slip where there is a pothole and “major ruts” on the road because of the heavy traffic.
Jane Reed said residents of Millbrook Rd are “fed up with the risk being posed by trucks using this shortcut”.
“Our road is narrow and fragile and these trucks are risking the safety of residents and themselves. We are fed up.
“There is a very real likelihood of a serious accident on Millbrook should the loggers continue to use it.
“The road is deteriorating at speed and has several areas where it’s barely a lane and has one slip that is starting to underslip.
“It puts residents at risk of being unable to access Waipu easily, which impacts on children going to school and residents to work.”
Millbrook Rd residents say a major slip will deteriorate further if heavy trucks keep using the road as a shortcut.
A spokesperson from the council’s roading department confirmed staff had been out investigating the condition of the road and “working to identify options to address the concerns raised”.
Staff were “continuing to progress discussions” that started late last week when they became aware of the increased volumes and impacts on Millbrook Rd, the spokesperson said.
“As there are presently no formal restrictions in place on this road at present, while the conditions are not suited for heavy vehicle usage, trucks are legally entitled to use the roads.
“Given the current condition of the road and the presence of slips along the route council staff are presently looking at legislative options to address this.”
Pook said she is pleased the council is listening to residents.
“It’s good the council is meeting to come up with some active decisions in terms of banning heavy vehicles until remedial work is done on the slips.”
High-productivity motor vehicles (HPMV) must use SH12 and SH14 through Dargaville, and the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd route can be used by all types of vehicles up to and including 50Max-rated trucks.
The council spokesperson said staff were working to finalise actions required to address the problems on Millbrook Rd.
Taking into consideration “advanced public notice of any planned restrictions and sourcing of supporting signage, it is currently expected that these will be able to be finalised and implemented by the end of next week”.
“In the interim, council staff are undertaking daily patrols of this road as part of the local road detour route condition monitoring process.”
Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.
