Loaded logging trucks driving through Plimmerton
The logging company (Farman Turkington Forestry Ltd) proposes to start work in early August on the site at 60 The Track. They propose to drive log-laden trucks and trailers down The Track, Motuhara Road, along Steyne Ave and across the railway line onto SH 59.
Our understanding, after meeting with the contractor and other parties involved, is that there is no traffic management plan in place to ensure this happens safely. Some of the authorities responsible for both the logging and road use had not been officially notified prior to our meeting with them.
Steyne Ave:
This busy village central street has entrances to both a primary school and kindergarten, with children going in and out at different times, which presents obvious dangers. Parking and access for parents doing pick-ups and drop offs will be affected, even if the laden trucks are only driving through between 9.30am and 2.30pm.
Outdoor cafes and restaurants at the bottom of Motuhara Road will be impacted by lack of parking, noise and patrons’ discomfort with heavy trucks coming around the roundabout only a few metres away.
St Andrews Church, which has services throughout the week at irregular times, will have parking and access affected.
Parking for patients attending Plimmerton Medical Centre will also be affected.
Steyne Ave also has pedestrian entrances to our busy railway station and access for caravan and camper van users, sports fields, our dog exercise area and other well used community amenities. It is widely used by young people on scooters, skateboards and bikes, parents and grandparents with prams and dogs, residents and visitors cycling, people doing our heritage trail and other recreational users … including those at the southern end of Steyne who use the new rigging lawn for water sports. Many senior citizens also use Steyne Ave pavements, and communal areas, for recreation every day.
Plimmerton Village has changed dramatically since the forest owner planted his trees. In the last 15 years we have built the paved area and boardwalk which has become the outdoor community hub and meeting place. With all this activity it is totally unsuited to oversize heavy vehicular traffic.
Motuhara Road:
Motuhara Road is unstable and has a history of slips and slumping.
PRA is working with the appropriate agencies and organisations and requesting that the geotechnical report on the road’s condition is updated (Torlesse Report on Motuhara Road landslides in 2022 and stabilisation options done for PCC 2023) with urgency as this update was due in 2024 and is needed after recent weather events have caused further slips on this road.
The issue of liability for any damage to public or private property is a significant concern. If this is not the forest owner or contractor’s responsibility homeowners would need to sort any remediation of damage caused to their properties and PCC/ratepayers would have to pay for damage to road surfaces, and other roading related structures.
Several years ago, the left-hand side of Motuhara Road slumped and engulfed blocks of flats on School Road requiring evacuations and emergency response. Just in the last two weeks, the heavy rain has resulted in further slumping from Motuhara Road onto property in School Road. This has resulted in damage to a home and could potentially affect School Road more seriously.
There have been recent other slips on the seaward side of Motuhara Road which are of great concern to residents on the roads beneath Motuhara, including Moana Road and Sunset Parade. These residents will bear the brunt of damage caused any further slips, or landslides, triggered by pressure from 45-tonne loaded truck/trailers on an already stressed and at-risk road.
The geotec report shows Site B, the area currently coned off, has a high risk to users. This assessment was carried out on the basis of the road continuing to have low volume and low speed usage. Page 27 of the report shows a section through the area, which could slip further.
We note that just two weeks ago a situation arose in nearby Acheron Road. A similar area (also built on unconsolidated colluvium). Geo technical engineers, geologists and other experts advise that Motuhara Road is already under stress. Some 1200 odd heavy truck and machinery movements in the next four months are going to add to the issues already identified.
We repeat, there appears to be no traffic management plan in place by the logging company to address all the issues raised by this proposed activity.
The road is already single lane when vehicles are parked in permitted areas and it has three blind corners. Of necessity, laden trucks and trailers will need to travel downhill near the unstable seaward edge.
There is no restriction on the use of this road because this sort of usage would never have been envisaged. (There is no sign saying no elephants or Sherman tanks for the same reason!). Also of concern is that there are no safe runaways or provisions for the logging trucks to stop safely in the event of a mechanical failure on the loaded truck and trailers on the downhill inclines.
This road is narrow, steep, virtually one way and unsuitable for heavily laden wide vehicles. Using it in the way proposed is dangerous for local road users and will cause months of inconvenience and stress for residents who live only a few meters from the carriageway in many cases. It also raises safety issues for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, other trade vehicles, scooter skateboard kids.
The Track
The Track is likewise steep, slippery when wet and has blind entry and exit. The intersection with Corlett, Motuhara and The Track is of particular concern.
Material washed down from properties on The Track has been implicated in recent catastrophic flooding on Airlie Road and Cluny Road. While protective fences have been constructed on the hillside to collect debris coming down in rain events from The Track these are not designed to deal with an increased volume of run off from this unstable area. Having the proposed volume of heavy traffic over this road could be detrimental to current safety measures.
Action
PRA is talking with the logging contractor who represents his client and his own company. PRA is also in ongoing discussions with senior management of PCC and GRWC to clarify legal and other issues. These people are actively exploring options and alternatives.
We are encouraging the owner and contractor to understand how their scheme will impact this village and to seek an alternative transport route. We are advised that the owner, when he chose to invest in parking trees in this area 25 years ago, was told that he would need to organise logging access through another route. We are getting this information checked.
The owner has paid rates on this land but this does not entitle him to use these roads in a way never planned for, and to create another burden on other ratepayers who get no benefit from this enterprise.
PRA meets again early next week to review progress made on the issues outlined above and the environmental concerns raised by FOTSC.
We will keep you posted.
