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Ōtaki businesses says ‘easier to shop’ but ‘footfall has dropped off’ post-expressway
Known for its outlet stores and speciality shops, the lower North Island town of Ōtaki was also famous as a traffic bottle neck.
That was until the opening over the Christmas period of a new expressway bypassing the town. Six months on, some shops are positive about the effect of this – but no all.
When RNZ visited on a week day, traffic was steady but light and parks were plentiful. Katherine Goodwin, at Streetwise coffee, had a front-row view of the street from the cart.
“It was a bit quieter to start with because, of course, everyone has to try that new road, but we’ve found that business has definitely crept back up,” Goodwin said.
“The locals love it because they can get down here more.
“People are still coming through. They still want really great coffee and I think the on and off ramps work really well in conjunction with the town, so it’s definitely a win-win.”
One nearby retailer who would not be named was less enthusiastic, saying the lack of traffic had killed the town.
That was true for at least one outlet, which will soon shut its doors. Holly Wilson at the Bendon outlet said there were plusses and minuses.
“[It’s] a lot easier for customers to shop – parking, crossing the road. We get a lot of comments about that, but we have noticed footfall has dropped off.”
Overall, the new road had a slightly negative effect on the shop, she said.
“I think the novelty has worn off since the expressway opened. Everyone was able to come and shop and experience what it was like without being so busy in the town.
“Weekends are still great for us, but during the week it’s definitely a lot flatter than it was a year ago.”
Makayla Houghton and Vanessa Parsons have a front-row view of the road from Dice. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Makayla Houghton, at Dice eatery, had noticed similar trends.
“At the beginning it did quieten down a little bit… We used to get our main rush in the morning, then our lunch rush. We’ve noticed that it did quieten down in the mornings, then it picks up in the afternoon.”
Speciality shops were more positive.
Robin Daldin at the Artel Gallery and Store said the effect of the new road was pleasantly surprising.
“There’s been a lot more customers coming in from Wellington saying they’ve been up on Transmission Gully, saying they can find a park now and they’re happy to come in and browse for longer.
“They’re less stressed out about coming up.”
Books and Co owner Jacqui Simpson said she was not worried about the bypass when she opened two years ago.
“Some weekdays, it’s certainly a little quiet. Overall it balances out and I think we still get those weekend days where people come for a drive and come for a visit,” she said.
“Our local support from the community is still really strong and that’s what keeps us going, too.”
Kirstie Caines would like to see the main road through Ōtaki closed to traffic completely. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Kirstie Caines, at fashion store Caravan and Co, liked the quieter road so much she thought authorities should go further.
“I think that they should pedestrianise the main street, then make all the cars go around the back and get some cool bars and restaurants going – really bring people down here.”
Waka Kotahi regional manager Mark Owen said design work for changes to main road through Ōtaki would start soon, ahead of construction.
“It’s probably going to be about two years’ worth of work and that will start, probably, next year. This will help access into the Ōtaki township and also that corridor for people who live and have to move along there.”
Once that work was completed the old State Highway 1 would be handed back to the Kāpiti District Council as a local road.
Not surprisingly there had been fewer crashes on that stretch of road this year compared with previous periods, but it was too early to get reliable traffic-count comparisons since the expressway opened, Owen said.
“Before we built that project we had something in the range of 16,000 to 21,000 vehicles per day on average heading along that corridor on the old SH1,” he said.
“It’s fair to say the through traffic is using the new alignment, which has made Ōtaki township more of a destination.
“They’re seeing significant benefits of less congestion, fewer vehicles moving through, and it’s making it easier and safer for people to access the side streets.”
VIA RNZ
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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