Making use of rest stops is a better solution than parking on residential streets, said councillor Sandra Greenslade. Photo / Bevan Conley.
Tūrangi’s councillor has voiced her concerns over the number of trucks parked on the town’s streets overnight.
Sandra Greenslade said she’s noticed a huge increase in trucks stopping overnight in Tūrangi on their way across their North Island delivery routes.
Many are parking up in residential areas and other places where they are potentially more difficult to see or navigate past, she said.
“All the residential streets are full of trucks.
“We’ve just turned into a parking lot.
“I reckon we’ve got up to 50 trucks a night, easily.”
Although Greenslade stressed that she “does not speak” for the truck drivers, she had a couple of theories about why the volume of trucks parking at night appeared to have increased.
“I can’t speak categorically, but since Cyclone Gabrielle, we’ve had hundreds of trucks trying to get the logs out of forests before they become useless.
“There’s probably twice as many trucks as before [the cyclone].
“I wonder if the other trucks are travelling more at nighttime to avoid the logging trucks.
“[Forestry companies] stand to lose huge amounts of money if they don’t get those logs out.”
Difficulties negotiating State Highway 1, particularly at Te Pōporo/Bulli Point, may be another factor, she said.
“They come through late at night and they’re not prepared to negotiate Bulli Point.
“I suspect it’s been more of a problem since the roads have deteriorated so much.”
Greenslade said she was so worried about the potential for accidents between motorists and parked trucks, she called the police on 111 around two weeks ago to relay her concerns.
However, Taupō road policing manager Senior Sergeant Jason Henderson said he was not “immediately aware of a report or information provided to police in relation to trucks parking in Tūrangi” around that time.
Since then, however, “some members of the public have raised concerns with police,” he said.
“There have been no instances where enforcement action has been necessary.
“Generally, truck drivers park their vehicles responsibly and in compliance with the road code by parking on wide, well-lit streets or dedicated rest areas, with parking lights illuminated.”
Taupō District Council is tasked with parking enforcement, but also said they did not have significant concerns at this time.
A spokesman said they have not had any information from the public through their parking enforcement reporting system, but said they would take any concerns raised seriously.
“Council is responsible for dealing with parking offences and ensuring that the parking provided throughout the district is in accordance with legislative requirements.
“If our compliance team is aware of a truck or car parked where it shouldn’t be, they will issue an infringement notice.”
Greenslade said she felt the roads would be safer to navigate if truck drivers put their parking lights on once they’d stopped for the night.
“It just strikes me that it’s thoughtlessness.
“It costs them nothing to put their lights on at night.
“It’s definitely a problem.”
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One police officer was forced to jump out of the way.