The NZ Transport Agency says it is still wants to hear the views of people and community groups about the indicative route for the Pūhoi to Wellsford road of national significance before this Friday's deadline [28 January] for public feedback on the proposed route.
“We want to follow up on the tremendous turnout we had last Saturday [22 January] for the final public information day and get as much feedback as possible before we start the next phase of the project,” says the NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland and Northland, Tommy Parker.
The information day at the Warkworth Town Hall attracted 175 people – bringing the total turnout to the five public information days held throughout the Rodney District since last November to more than 700.
“That’s a fantastic response and I want to thank the people of Rodney for the enthusiastic interest they are showing in the project,” says Mr Parker.
“There are a lot of opinions about the project but I want to reassure everyone that their feedback is welcome and it is valued.”
The Pūhoi to Wellsford project, one of the Government’s seven roads of significance, will improve transport links for freight and people between Northland and Auckland and make travel between the two regions more reliable and safer.
Mr Parker says that besides the public information days, the NZTA has had one-to-one meetings with some potentially affected property owners. The project’s website has also been viewed extensively.
Following the conclusion of the consultation period the team will collate the feedback and write a summary newsletter similar to that in phase one. This will acknowledge the different themes that have been identified. Feedback from consultation will then be considered as part of the ongoing investigation of the route along with engineering, social and environmental constraints. The will then inform the preferred route.
There is still an opportunity for people to provide their feedback either through an email to the project team (Pūhoi-wellsford@nzta.govt.nz) or by completing an online feedback form on the NZTA website: www.nzta.govt.nz/puhoi-wellsford(external link). The free-phone number (0800 P2W NZTA (7296982)) will remain active for the foreseeable future and feedback can be logged with a project team representative there also.
