Letter to the Editor

23 May, 2022

Heads traffic solution worse than the problem
I apologise for resurrecting the Wood Street so called revitalisation programme, but this unsightly mess that passes for traffic management is a blight on what should be an attractive, pedestrian friendly environment.

The thought that this abomination will be made permanent is frightening. As I review the history of the "trials" of summer 2019/20 and 2020/21 and the survey results I can find no clear ratepayer support for anything other than a rearrangement of traffic during the "holiday" period. Certainly there is no mandate for a permanent installation. The survey response was limited in numbers and at best provided a lukewarm affirmation.

I bike into Wood Street regularly and my observation is that the traffic flows are disjointed and even with minimal volume the blockages caused by vehicles reversing out of angled parks coupled with stationary cars and utes waiting to locate a car park is disruptive. There is no orderly flow because of the one way system.

This one way approach applied to all of commercial Wood Street has "funnelled" all of the traffic into the residential areas with consequent noise, speed, and safety concerns. The obvious solution to this would be to allow the Fagan Place and Four Square traffic to exit into a two lane flow to and from Molesworth Drive as before and reduce the volume going through Wood Street from Fagan Place to Ellen Street. Most of this traffic does not want to go East onto Wood Street but is forced to do so with consequent disruption.

The idea that Kaipara District Council (KDC) will permanently cement this "shambles" beggars belief and demonstrates that the Dargaville brigade have no appreciation for what the Mangawhai Heads village could be; visually, architecturally and as a pedestrian friendly space.

In my view, and that of everyone I speak with, the "solution" thus far is worse than the problems it was supposed to solve.

It is obvious that as Mangawhai Central comes on stream the commercial heart of the Heads will move south and the Wood Street traffic problems will solve themselves. Wood Street's future is as a boutique, arts and craft and hospitality and "fast" food venue with attractive recreational space and the Central development will create a great opportunity to redesign the Mangawhai Heads environs into something we can be proud of. The Gringas and BAC initiatives are wonderful examples of what is possible.

KDC have no understanding of architectural merit and their "bits and pieces" approach is both disappointing and unacceptable, but if we do not oppose their machinations the Heads will be forever consigned to mediocrity.

Kerry O'Malley
Mangawhai