We would like to see a temporary by-pass of the major slip on State Highway 25A built to alleviate the concerns of the residents of the Eastern Side of Coromandel.

Cyclone Gabrielle inflicted substantial damage to roading on the Coromandel Peninsula. Substantial damage was done with a large slip on highway 25A which along with damage to other roads is severely restricting access to communities, businesses, and the farming community.

This lack of critical access and uncertainty when a resolution will be forthcoming is having a huge negative impact physically and mentally on all of whom are dependent on road access with winter coming on.

There have been many people expressing concerns regarding the length of time it is reported that it will take to repair 25A. The closure of this main highway due to the effects from the recent cyclone is having a huge economic effect on businesses on the eastern side of the peninsula; people getting to health appointments; Animal and Welfare issues with transportation of stock and with getting milk out to process and receiving essential daily supplies including fuel are but some of the issues.

Another issue with not having this road opened is the detrimental effect that it is having on State Highway 25 due to the hugely increased traffic loading from all of the traffic that would normally use 25A. State Highway 25 is already showing signs of deterioration from the effects of this increased traffic loading and we also should be taking into account the extra carbon emissions from the extra vehicular traffic over much longer distances due to this closure of State Highway 25A.

We saw on television a person who we understood was a Waka Kotahi spokesperson standing on the slip site calmly stated that the analysis of the site would take until May. Until then no indication of a resolution would be forthcoming.

Observers fear that with winter setting in it is doubtful if reconstruction could start and it could be Christmas or after before such work would or could be competed. In the real world that is completely unacceptable. If any of the other already fragile access roads go out, the peninsular would be isolated and the consequences of that are too serious to not consider every alternative.

We have been contacted by contractors who know the road and have said that a single lane bypass with a loose metal surface could be built very quickly as has happened on the East Coast with the local Iwi creating an access across their land. Such a temporary access could be single lane and controlled by traffic signals to allow the State Highway to be used until the existing road can be fixed. They said that they could construct a temporary single lane access road in a very short time frame which would give access and prevent the huge round about bypass route through Waihi.

This is a critical state of emergency for the residents of the area. There is not time for bureaucrats to pontificate on processes. They can do that after the temporary access road is in place. What is needed is a temporary fix without nonsense such as consents or planning and pontificating on all manners of issues and to allow this work to be performed by the most experienced contractors in the region as a priority temporary emergency fix.

We are writing to you because this is an extreme emergency. Fixing it is not business as usual. We are well aware of the similar issues on the East Coast and solutions that are rapidly being put in place to give people access. We believe this is an equal longer-term matter. You all have emergency powers, and we ask you to come together and put a resolution in place. Talk to the local experts and you will see that this task could have already been implemented.

We are asking for your support in getting State Highway 25A open with a temporarily by-pass as soon as possible to alleviate the concerns of the Coromandel residents. Without the people who travel from outside the Coromandel Peninsula to holiday and to visit their holiday homes the businesses on the Eastern side of the Peninsula are suffering and many could have to close.

Andy Loader

Co-Chairman P.L.U.G.

Primary Land Users Group

CC:

Mayor of Thames Coromandel

Mayor of Hauraki

Mayor of Waikato

Mayor of Hamilton

Mayor of Auckland

Chair of Waikato Regional Council

Chair of the Transport Committee, Waikato Regional Council

Mayor of Western Bays

Chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Chair of the Transport Committee, Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Dairy NZ

Chair of Fonterra

Chair of Beef and Lamb

The Iwi of the Coromandel

Waikato Federated Farmers

Hauraki Coromandel Federated Farmers

Waka Kotahi NZTA

Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Waikato

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