NEW WEIGH STATION TO BE BUILT AT RAKAIA

Asplit-site Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre, otherwise known as a weigh station, is being constructed on SH1 just north of the Rakaia River in mid-Canterbury. It is one of a dozen being rolled out nationally.

The centre is being built with facilities on both sides of SH1, so truck drivers need only to turn left in and left out. The southbound site works will start first, with the northbound site later in 2023. It is anticipated that both will be operational by the end of 2024. The northbound site is between Weavers Road and North Rakaia Road and the southbound site is on the opposite side of SH1 near

North Rakaia Road.

“All of these [new] sites are located on state highways where there are more than 1200 heavy motor vehicles per day,” says Waka Kotahi director of regional relationships, James Caygill.

The objectives of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme are to:

• Improve road safety by reducing the number of overweight vehicles travelling on our roads

• Increase heavy vehicle weight compliance without impacting upon productivity or imposing unnecessary cost on compliant vehicles

• Ensure that operators pay their fair share of road maintenance by targeting,