The aftermath of the crash between a car and an ambulance on State Highway 1 near Cambridge last month. Photo / Caitlan Johnston
The aftermath of the crash between a car and an ambulance on State Highway 1 near Cambridge last month. Photo / Caitlan Johnston
The Waikato business community is challenging roading bosses to visit the "death trap" section of State Highway 1 near Cambridge which claimed yet another life yesterday, and three local mayors have called for immediate action.
Since 2000, there have been 29 fatalities on the 19km stretch of road between Cambridge and the intersection of SH1 and SH29.
CEO of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Don Good has come out saying that Minister of Transport Michael Wood will be responsible if more people die on the road, expressing dismay of Labour's decision not to extend the Waikato Expressway between Cambridge and Piarere when they took Government in 2017.
"I'm calling on the Minister of Transport Michael Wood and Waka Kotahi chief executive Nicole Rosie to come to the Waikato and see this stretch of road for themselves – to see what an absolute death trap it is," said Good.
"Wouldn't it be amazing if Minister Wood came out and said, 'We got it wrong. We will start the safety improvements on this northern section in October this year, and we will fund and get the Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere completed with work starting this year as well'."
SH1 near Cambridge was closed for the second time in less than a month following another fatal accident. Photo / Caitlan Johnston
A letter has also been sent today to Wood from Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson, Waipā Mayor Jim Mylchreest and Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate calling for immediate action.
"We know detailed designs and safety improvements are already planned for this part of the State Highway. But the reality is that substantial safety improvements are years away. We need immediate action now; our communities are demanding it and we support their call," the letter read.
The mayors are asking the minister to consider a range of safety measures which include safe hit posts, rumble strips, reduced speed limits, speed cameras, signage and pavement markings and more visible police presence, especially over the summer holiday period.
Waka Kotahi director of regional relationships David Speirs said that this work is hoped to begin in 2023.
However, Good says the delay in improving the road is unacceptable.
"If the proposal for the Cambridge to Piarere Expressway section had gone ahead as originally planned, many lives would have been saved, bodies never brutally smashed up and families would still have their loved ones," Good said.
Good says statements about safety improvements made by Waka Kotahi after the ambulance crash were a PR spin.
"Waka Kotahi are back pedalling in the face of what they know was the wrong decision. he
Speirs explained that concept designs have been accepted and detailed designs are under way to improve the safety of the stretch of road from the end of the Waikato Expressway through to Fergusson Gully Rd which encompasses yesterday's crash site.
"This has been complex work due to many intersections, accessways and properties. The priority is reducing the risk of head-on crashes and improving intersection safety, including at SH1/Karapiro Rd and Hickey Rd," he said.
Improvements would see a roundabout put in at the intersection of Karāpiro Rd and SH1, 7.9km of flexible median barriers and associated turnaround areas, left-in/left-out designs and improved lighting on some intersections and rumble strips.
Speirs said some land acquisition is required to carry out this work and affected landowners will be spoken to.
