Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

The much awaited Black Forest LATM report by Tonkin Consulting was received and considered by Council tonight.

It included a number of recommendations including for Canterbury Terrace. Council considered the recommendations excluding those for Canterbury Terrace.

As I trust most people in Black Forest are already aware Council have already proceeded with working through the issues concerning Canterbury Terrace. This is considering the clash of cars, bikes entering Canterbury Terrace from the Government’s new Greenways bike path), pedestrians crossing from the Rail Station to the Community Centre and getting our trees back.

The proposals for this are expected to be put before Council at the end of April and the one way option that Tonkin’s are asking us to consider have been. The option to be recommended to Council is likely to be the 2 way option that includes extending the Greenways path along the corridor to east Avenue with a verge with small trees and shrubs separating this from the road. More on that in April.

In light of information to hand concerning the possibility of road closures by the Government (whoever gets into power) of all Black Forest roads that intersect with South Road to facilitate their non stop South Road goal we also determined we should hold off on any decision concerning the Byron Road slow points.

We accepted that there would be little point in spending money of significance on Byron Road if it were to become a dead end in the near to mid future. Once the State election is out of the way and we know who the Government is we will then be better placed to consider the Byron Road options.

We have agreed to proceed as follows as far as the remainder of their recommendations:

ü  Council install kerb build outs at several locations along East Avenue as shown in the concept
plan.
ü  Signpost a No Stopping restriction on the southern side of Dryden Road through the bend into Gordon Road.
ü  Signpost a 2 Hour Parking restriction (9am-5pm Mon-Fri) along the eastern side of the
Hartland Avenue, between Aroha Terrace and Dunrobin Street.

ü  Discuss the practically of alternative access arrangements with the shop owners of the Black Forest Shopping Centre and mark ‘Keep Clear’ messages in Byron Road and Cowper Road.

Watch this space next month when I should be able to report on Canterbury Terrace.