Business-closure fears due to works

Businesses fear they will close if winter roadworks planned for Devonport’s Victoria Rd go ahead.

More than 50 people attended a Devonport Business Association (DBA) meeting at the Devonport RSA on Monday. Most wanted the project stopped.

Owners of the Patriot Bar, Mylam and Liz Sloan, said works would overrun the fourmonth time frame. AT had already made the area safer by lowering speeds to 30 kmh.

Concerned businesses… at the Devonport RSA on Monday night

“This should not happen it is stupid... it [the works] will destroy this township,” Mylam Sloan said. Liz Sloan added it was highly likely some businesses would not be able to trade through the disruption.

Opposition to the project has spread wider than the business community. Resident Guy Bellerby tabled a 350-signature petition, collected in 72 hours, opposing the works..

The DBA board was heavily criticised by its own members for failing to better informing them of the implications of the works programme.

Monday night’s information update should have been held 18 months ago so the “army” of DBA members could have better supported a united opposition, said member Trevor Lawson. He questioned the “concrete” construction of the safety measures. LED lighting was used overseas and would better protect pedestrians as it alerted motorists to people walking on the crossing, he said.

DBA chair Dianne Hale said members were kept abreast of the project by emails, and encouraged to attend an AT information workshop at the library and make their own submissions. Some businesses owners were concerned raised crossings could cause flooding into shops in the event of extreme weather.

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board members Gavin Busch and George Wood said they would take DBA members’ concerns back to further talks with Auckland Transport.