Mayor seeks urgent talks to resolve speedway standoff

Dick Hubbard

The Mayor of Auckland has called for urgent talks over the future of "traditional and precious" speedway racing at Western Springs.

Dick Hubbard has asked Deputy Mayor Bruce Hucker to convene a meeting tomorrow between a residents' group and promoters embroiled in a clash over noise levels at the stadium.

The mayor wants a resolution to the issue, which has beset Western Springs since the residents' group won an interim Environment Court case forcing the event to comply with city council decibel limits.

Referring to the event as "traditional and precious", Mr Hubbard said:

"I would hope that with the greatest of goodwill and with each party treating the other with respect, we will find a way through.

"It's the way I'd like to see things done in Auckland."

Dr Hucker, who called the racing a "heritage activity", said he was waiting on the residents' group to confirm its attendance.

"Personal contact has been made with the residents' group. The person I spoke to was willing to participate but wished to check it out with colleagues."

 

Dr Hucker said Auckland City had consistently indicated that it wanted speedway to continue at Western Springs.

He denied that he was opposed to speedway because of the noise it created, saying the city council did not have an objective to review so-called noisy sports.

But the big question is whether speedway will be able to keep racing at Western Springs and comply with noise limits.

Results of council noise monitoring at the last meeting on Saturday night, made available yesterday, show that racing can go ahead within noise limits but there are doubts that fans would support it.

Dr Hucker said the monitoring showed seven to eight cars could race at one time but he wondered whether that would be viable when the "usual spectacle" was up to 20 cars.

If the 85-decibel limit was exceeded the promoter could end up breaching an Environment Court ruling and be subject to contempt of court proceedings, he said.

Noise issues, the number of events, meeting schedules, ideas for stadium sound-proofing and race-break weekends would be discussed.

"We will discuss whether or not the noise limit should be lifted, even if for three races per meeting only, and what the quid pro quo might be in return for the residents," he said.

Dr Hucker was concerned that tonight's city council meeting should pass peacefully.

Speedway fans are due to attend and present a "Save Our Speedway" petition to the council.

Dr Hucker said tomorrow's meeting was an attempt to deal with the issue creatively.