Petition against Rotorua Eastern Arterial

FILE Photo / Ben Fraser

Members of a Rotorua organisation campaigning against the Rotorua Eastern Arterial route have presented a petition to the New Zealand Transport Agency.

The online petition - "We are against the proposed Rotorua Eastern Arterial [REA]" - gathered 2421 signatories before it was presented to the NZTA about 10 days ago.

Chairman of the Positive Rotorua Environmental Society, Nireaha Pirika, was reported by Radio New Zealand as saying the group was formed to gain funding so it could go to the Environment Court and fight for its concerns if necessary.

Opposition to the REA continues to grow since the NZTA announced its preferred route.

Construction is scheduled between 2020 and 2025 and the new road would run from the airport to Sala St, through a Maori reservation and could cost up to $114 million.

About 50 property owners will be affected, and three Te Arawa hapu, whose land the proposed road runs through, say authorities should upgrade Te Ngae Rd to four lanes.

NZTA Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional director Harry Wilson said the agency now had clarity around the depth of concerns by the hapu - Ngati Hurunga Te Rangi, Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi and Ngati Uenukukopako.

"Although a petition does not have any legal weight, our view is that this petition, along with the three hapu's list of concerns, is a clear expression of their views on the preferred designation for REA.

"We were pleased by the invitation from Ngati Hurunga Te Rangi, Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi and Ngati Uenukukopako to meet and to hear their concerns about the proposed designation route for REA and we hope going forward we can find a suitable pathway for future and ongoing discussions about these concerns," Mr Wilson said.

In June, about 300 people marched on the Rotorua District Council to present members of the council's Te Arawa Standing Committee with their preferred option of upgrading Te Ngae Rd to four lanes.

At the time, Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters said he would be an advocate for them in presenting their concerns to the NZTA.

However, Mr Winters has always supported the route saying that it was important for Rotorua's future economic growth.

Mr Pirika could not be contacted for comment.