Gore council withdraws from some NZTA Innovating Streets trials

Wednesday, 9 June 2021

The Gore District Council will remove a “pocket park” at the end of Eccles St early next week. The park was installed as part of the council’s Streets Alive project.

The Gore District Council is ending some of its Streets Alive trials because Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency cannot guarantee funding for them if they became permanent.

The council voted unanimously to end some trials at a council meeting on Tuesday, after mayor Tracy Hicks wrote to the agency’s chief executive, Nicole Rosie, asking for “some authoritative commitment in regard to future funding”.

In his letter, which was tabled at the meeting, Hicks says: “Being a conservative community, the council recognised that the extent of what was being mooted was going to be a challenge, and it is fair to say that the council has not been disappointed on that front!’’

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Rosie’s letter of response, which was also tabled at the meeting, says: “Due to the constrained nature of the National Land Transport Fund, there is pressure on funding around the country so any projects to come out of Streets Alive will need to be prioritised against other projects which are also seeking funding.’’

The council rolled out a three-month trial of its Streets Alive project, which has changed some layouts for traffic around the town, by adding pocket parks, planters, roundabouts and courtesy crossings to make the streets safer and more accessible.

The trial was mainly funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's Innovating Streets fund, and it aimed to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and reduce speeding and congestion. The council spent $100,000 on the project, while the agency contributed $900,000.

Last month the council received a petition, signed by more than 1100 people, asking for the removal of some of its Streets Alive initiatives, including more than 460 concrete troughs, from the towns streets.

About 60 pots have been progressively withdrawn from the trial and courtesy crossings and the rest of the pots will continue to be gradually withdrawn during the next three weeks.

Pocket parks at the end of Broughton and Eccles streets will be opened on June 14, and pocket parks on Kitchener, Anzac and Pomona streets will be opened in the following two or three days.

Roundabouts that have been installed as part of the trial will remain, and changes at the intersections of Eccels St and Birch Lane, and Crewe and Ardwick streets, will remain.

Furniture on Irk St will be removed at the end of June.