Message #125326

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

The ongoing saga of the "Woodville gate"....


Traffic gate a barrier to infuriated local residents

By VICKI WATERHOUSE - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Friday, 16 December 2011

WOODVILLE RESIDENTS affected by a gate installed to block a rural road have been further angered by the decision to deny them access.

Contractors began work on the gate on Oxford Road, near the intersection of Woodlands Rd, on Wednesday without any warning from the Tararua District Council to residents.

The council made the decision in response to tough trading conditions for Woodville businesses and because of increased traffic cutting through Oxford Road after a series of slips closed the Manawatu Gorge road in August.

The gate would force motorists travelling along Saddle Road — an alternative route to the gorge — to drive through Woodville.

When it made the decision, the council said motorists with a legitimate reason to go through the gate would be given access at the discretion of the council.

But yesterday it was revealed residents of the road would not necessarily qualify.

When Tararua Mayor Roly Ellis was asked whether being a resident of Oxford Road was a good enough reason to have the combination code to the gate, he responded "sadly, it's not".

Mr Ellis was against the road closure when it was decided at a council meeting at the end of last month.

He had fielded calls from disgruntled residents, but said some people were happy about the installation of the gate.

Before the gate was put in, a barrier was put up to deter motorists from using the road. Mr Ellis believed this was sufficient.

"I thought in fact the actual way it was being handled at the time was fair enough under the circumstances," he said.

Mr Ellis said people who felt they had a genuine reason to go through the gate could apply at the council. Emergency services would also be given the combination.

Resident Tony Jarman, who lives on Oxford Road just down from the gate, has to detour 7 kilometres through Woodville to go to Palmerston North, where he frequently travels for work.

He was horrified residents would not be allowed access. "That's just disgusting," he said.

Mr Jarman said the postal service had also been in touch to ask him where he wanted his mail delivered as drivers would no longer deliver to his house because of the detour.

Farmer Gayle Cresswell, who uses the road as the route between her farm and cowshed twice a day, was livid when she found out she was unlikely to gain access.

She said it would mean an extra 300km a week would have to be travelled between the farm and cowshed.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6150720/Traffic-gate-a-barrier-to-infuriated-local-residents


Woodville's locked gate to stay despite furore

By VICKI WATERHOUSE - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Tuesday, 20 December 2011

TARARUA DISTRICT COUNCIL is refusing to back down from a controversial Woodville road closure, despite an angry backlash from ratepayers.

The gate was installed on Oxford Rd, near the intersection of Woodlands Road, and has been secured with a combination lock since Friday.

The council made the decision in response to tough trading conditions for Woodville businesses and because of increased traffic cutting through Oxford Rd after slips closed the Manawatu Gorge road in August.

The gate forces motorists travelling along Saddle Road — an alternative route to the gorge — to drive through Woodville.

When it made the decision, the council said motorists with a legitimate reason to go through the gate would be given access at the discretion of the council.

It has since emerged that only five people have been given the combination, and all are farmers or farming contractors who have to move heavy machinery.

Mayor Roly Ellis said a closed council meeting was held over the issue but nobody changed their vote. The gate would stay, despite angry residents venting to the council.

"I spent all weekend on the phone and in front of the computer with emails and phone calls from residents," Mr Ellis said.

"When the phone stops about 10 at night, you know that people are upset."

Mr Ellis had opposed the gate and supported leaving the road blocked off with chicanes, but was outnumbered.

"There's absolutely no change, the resolution stands," he said.

He had received a petition from people in Woodville supporting the removal of the gate and had passed it on to councillors to consider, but it had no effect.

Councillor Peter Johns, who supported the installation of the gate, said the NZ Transport Agency was not prepared to fix any roads other than Saddle Road and Woodlands Road because of extra traffic resulting from the gorge road closure. This meant the cost of any damage to Oxford Road lay with the council.

The benefits to Woodville outweighed the negatives, he said.

"The majority of the businesses in Woodville are suffering tremendously and [are] on the brink of going broke," he said.

"Obviously, as part of our responsibilities we need to promote business in the district, not see the demise of existing businesses. A lot of those businesses rely on passing traffic."

Councillor Johns said the diversion cost people only a couple of minutes.

"There are times when people might be inconvenienced for the good of the district. I think it's rather sad that some people are not prepared to go out of their way for a couple of minutes to help others."

Roading liaison manager Graham Lamond said residents would not get access.

"If the resident who lives in the house down the road wants to take a shortcut over to Palmerston North, no they won't [be given the combination to the lock]," he said.

"But if they're running their farm in the immediate vicinity ... rather than putting a haybaler right through the main street of Woodville, naturally they'll have access through there on an extremely limited basis."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6166036/Woodvilles-locked-gate-to-stay-despite-furore


Council reopens road after public outcry

By VICKI WATERHOUSE - Manawatu Standard | 11:27AM - Wednesday, 21 December 2011

TARARUA DISTRICT COUNCIL is bowing to public pressure and the threat of legal action and temporarily opening a gate that closed off a Woodville road, infuriating residents.

The council caused outrage among Tararua residents when it closed off Oxford Road by installing a gate near the intersection of Woodlands Rd on Friday.

The gate has forced motorists using Saddle Road, an alternative route to the gorge, to drive through Woodville. It was secured with a combination lock, which only five farmers and contractors had the code to.

The council made the decision in response to tough trading conditions for Woodville businesses and because of increased traffic cutting through Oxford Rd after slips closed the Manawatu Gorge road in August.

But today, council gave the instruction to contractors to open the gates for public thoroughfare.

It was not known what time today the gates would be opened.

Council chief executive Blair King said a special meeting would be held tomorrow for council to reconsider the resolution. He said the mayor asked for the meeting.

"They're being opened, but not removed," Mr King said.

He said the backdown came in response to "various requests the council has been receiving".

"They came to the conclusion last night that it would be prudent to hold a special meeting," he said.

"They've just asked me to implement the status quo for the interim, which is to have the gates open."

The meeting would be held at 1pm tomorrow.

The u-turn comes after one resident took legal action against the council.

Mr King said the decision to reopen the gate was made in part because of the risk that legal action would cost the community more money.

He said if an injunction was lodged, council would have to hire lawyers and that cost would fall to the ratepayers.

"The whole purpose was not to spend more money, but to try and help," Mr King said.

Oxford Road resident Tony Jarman, who has to make a 6-kilometre detour to reach the other side of the gate, said he had consulted with his barrister, Gordon Paine.

"It's just the way they've [council] done things, very sneakily, very underhand, and for a very self-serving purpose," Mr Jarman said.

"It's costing a lot of people a lot of money to gain a few people a very little bit it makes no sense."

Residents would love to take to the gate with bolt cutters, but it was unlikely to happen, because most of the people protesting were "genuine law-abiding people", he said.

"Although we say it, we'll never actually do it. You have to have that in your nature, don't you? And I certainly don't."

Mr Paine questioned whether the council's actions were legal and was preparing to send a letter on behalf of Mr Jarman.

"[It] suggests to them that they've made a terrible mistake and they really should revisit their idea."

If the council did not back down, the matter would likely end up in court, he said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6172124/Council-reopens-road-after-public-outcry


Council to reconsider road closure after protests

By VICKI WATERHOUSE and JESSICA SUTTON - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Thursday, 22 December 2011

A SPECIAL MEETING will be held today to discuss the controversial closure of a Woodville road as Tararua District Council grapples with community outrage and a threat of legal action.

The meeting comes amid signs of a possible council backdown.

The council raised the ire of Tararua residents when it closed off Oxford Road by installing a gate near the intersection of Woodlands Road last Friday, but yesterday it was reopened after a resident threatened legal action and a petition was signed by 60 residents.

The gate has forced motorists using Saddle Road, an alternative route to the Manawatu Gorge road, to drive through Woodville. It was secured with a combination lock to which only five farmers and contractors had the code.

The council had made the decision to close off the road in response to tough trading conditions for Woodville businesses and because of increased traffic cutting through Oxford Road after slips closed the Manawatu Gorge road in August.

Council chief executive Blair King said a meeting would be held today for the council to reconsider the road closure.

"They're [the gates] being opened, but not removed," Mr King said. They were being opened in response to "various requests the council has been receiving".

"They [councillors] came to the conclusion that it would be prudent to hold a special meeting. They've asked me to implement the status quo for the interim, which is to have the gates open."

The moves come after talk of legal action.

Mr King said the decision to reopen the gate was made in part because of the risk that legal action would cost the community more money.

He said if an injunction was lodged, council would have to hire lawyers and that cost would fall to the ratepayers.

"The whole purpose was not to spend more money, but to try and help," Mr King said.

Oxford Road resident Tony Jarman, who has to make a six kilometre detour to reach the other side of the gate, had instructed his lawyer, Gordon Paine, to write to the council.

Mr Paine questioned whether the council's actions were legal and was to send a letter on behalf of Mr Jarman.

"[It] suggests to them that they've made a terrible mistake and they really should revisit their idea."

If the council did not back down, the matter would probably end up in court, he said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6177698/Council-to-reconsider-road-closure-after-protests


Woodville retailers fuming over reopened gate

By JESSICA SUTTON - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Thursday, 22 December 2011


MAD: Hotel owner Kevin O'Connor. — FAITH SUTHERLAND/Fairfax NZ.

WOODVILLE RETAILERS are livid the gate closing off a road funnelling people into the town has been reopened — with some businesses claiming they are just weeks away from having to make staffing cuts.

Since the Manawatu Gorge road was closed in August, Woodville businesses have lost thousands of dollars, with less traffic coming through the town.

After the Tararua District Council moved to shut off Oxford Road — an alternative route to bypass the town — retailers noticed a considerable increase in customers. Business owners said they were disappointed by the council's U-turn — leaving Oxford Road open for now.

John Gooding, who has owned Fish Spot takeaways for 10 years, said his business had just weeks left before he would start having to consider letting staff go.

"It's quite devastating to know [the gate is] going to be reopened again," he said.

"For a bit there we were getting customers again. It's very hard for us as we haven't reduced our staff numbers but I just don't know how much longer we can continue like this." New Central Motor Inn owner Kevin O'Connor said he was fully booked during the weekend for the first time since August — when the gorge road shut.

"It's simple; if you want Woodville to keep going, then leave the gate closed, but if you want Woodville to die then open the gate," he said."

Businesswoman Suzie Johnson has recently opened two shops in Woodville, but was still deciding whether to open the third store because the gorge closure has meant fewer customers to the town.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6177699/Woodville-retailers-fuming-over-reopened-gate