Parking 'cock up' irks special school principal

Motorists outside a Tauranga special school are being forced to flout the law after a Tauranga City Council parking 'cock up” saw yellow lines marked outside the school.

Council contractors painted yellow lines around the Kaka Street cul-de-sac over the weekend - and in the process removed any chance Kaka Street Special School has of getting its students dropped off and picked up on its doorstep.


Kaka Street Special School principal Barrie Wickens is dumbfounded by the new 'no parking' markings outside his school. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

Given the complete lack of consultation with the school, this is something that doesn't sit well with school principal Barrie Wickens

'They have now made it illegal for the bus company drivers and parents to back up and help drop off the students. It really is a serious cock up.

'There was no consultation. They came and marked them on Friday and the lines were put down on Saturday.”

Rather than adhering to the new markings and cause serious health and safety issues, Barrie insists he has no option but to instruct Go Bus drivers to park as per usual while he takes the matter up with council.

'In theory none of those vehicles, in particular the 8-to-12 that arrive at the beginning and end of the day, have anywhere to park. So in theory they would have to park right in the middle of the cul-de-sac causing congestion.

'There is a real safety issue with unloading and loading and parent access. I just think the council has cocked this up. There was no communication to us, not even a phone call.”

According to council, the road markings come after they received one complaint from a resident and a couple of rubbish truck drivers - something Barrie is dumbfounded by given 13 metres of concrete was laid in January at the school's entrance to help accommodate wheelchair vehicles and access.

The yellow lines now sit directly in front of this, explains Barrie, and he wants answers as this 'seriously compromises” the school and its operation – the only special school of its type in the city.

'You just don't bowl up to any school and do something to the road outside,” he says. 'The first person you are going to annoy is the principal because they are going to get it in the neck.

'It's not a small issue because they have compromised the operation of a school for special needs children. It would have been nice of them to talk to us.”

Barrie says consultation with the school and the cul-de-sac community would have been beneficial and a compromise may have been reached, including a designated drop-off and pick-up loading zone.

Tauranga City Council transportation manager Martin Parkes confirms the markings were painted due to complaints from local residents about parking and safety.

But he is unsure why normal council protocol of contacting affected parties wasn't met as the staff member in charge is out of office for the week.

'The process normally is that we always try and work with schools in any parking, traffic and safety issues,” says Martin. 'I'm not sure why it occurred as it did.

'We do just sometimes put yellow lines in if there is a significant safety issue.”

Since SunLive spoke to Barrie, a council staff member has met with him to discuss the situation and will be working towards an agreement in the coming weeks.

Go Bus regional operations manager Darryl Bellamy was unable to be reached for comment this morning.

Kaka Street is a school for students aged 5-to-21 years, with a base school in Tauranga along with satellite classes based at Te Puke Primary School, Merivale Primary School, Brookfield Primary and Tauranga Intermediate School.

The school provides education for students with special educational needs in the Western Bay of Plenty.

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16 comments

Clearly not thinking

Posted on 16-02-2015 12:16 | By Angel74

Drop off and pick ups outside this school is essential unlike other schools. Re satellite classes there is also one at papamoa college these classes a fantastic option instead of main stream schooling.


Council removing carparks all the time

Posted on 16-02-2015 12:26 | By jed

THis council is removing carparking all over the city. Look at the main beach around marine parade -- they put yellow lines all over the place , built berms that cover parks, blocked off other parks for vendors. Its a disgrace, and the council just want people to take the bus to the beach.


Typical

Posted on 16-02-2015 13:06 | By LloydK

Why am I not surprised given the situation in SH36 and the new Charter School. Consultation? A new Tui's advert


Blue Boy

Posted on 16-02-2015 13:13 | By BlueBoy

It just goes to show the lack of common sense any of the people at the council have, if brains were gunpowder most of them wouldn't have enough to blow their hat off. Is there someone from council living in the street that might explain a thing or two they like to do things to suit themselves of you know what I mean.


Working towards.....

Posted on 16-02-2015 13:19 | By Jimmy Ehu

an agreement, you have to be kidding me!!!!, creating work by Council employees springs to mind with another inane planning decision, the contactors should be made to remedy the situation in their own time.


.

Posted on 16-02-2015 13:21 | By Road Ranger

Why not make this area a designated "LOADING ZONE" for all parents and buses and erect signs accordingly. This is a very busy place in the morning and afternoon, let's not make it any more difficult than what it is now.


Other shortcomings

Posted on 16-02-2015 14:07 | By Adrian Muller

I wonder what it cost us ratepayers to have these yellow lines painted, and what it will further cost to have them changed or removed shortly. In a similar vein, there is no pedestrian crossing outside Te Akau School on Doncaster Drive in Papamoa, yet there are five educational facilities within a radius of about 200 metres . The school has lolly pop signs for a few minutes before and after school but there are tiny pre-schoolers who have to get across this road at other times throughout the day, to attend pre-school, creche and kindergarten, and the road also carries three bus routes. These people who decide where crossings and yellow lines should be put have said it cost over $16,000 to put in a pedestrian crossing. I bet the yellow signs also cost just about as much!


Manager ?

Posted on 16-02-2015 14:38 | By Theway

It seems transportation manager Martin Parkes does not have his finger on the pulse, blaming an employee under him for the lack of consultation carried out with the school. Would he not have had to sign it off?


Complaint Driven Council

Posted on 16-02-2015 14:43 | By Dean Wearne

Add this to the list of kneejerk reactions by council staff to complaints. Whenever the staff get a complaint they seem driven to appease the complainer. Proposed alcohol ban for whole of pilot ban which was over turned. The Jandals on the fence under Mauao. One complaint does not signal a need to justify your council job by creating more bureaucracy or taking some form of action. Five people will now sit around in a meeting for half a day and come back with justification for the reason for their actions - probably arguing "the risk to other road user" - with no consideration for the special needs of the users of this cul-de-sac.


Parking etc

Posted on 16-02-2015 15:45 | By Accountable

Isn't it any wonder the CBD can't achieve parking parity. With two examples of workmanship coming from Councils Transport department such as this and the Welcome Bay traffic island debacle they certainly aren't capable of organising the free parking that is so desperately needed in the CBD. Maybe a shuffle of staff and a new direction would do the trick.


What's the chance....

Posted on 16-02-2015 19:58 | By groutby

...of having the name of the council 'official" who instructed this ridiculous thing to happen?...c'mon guy(s) fess up...we're waiting....anyone?....stunned with the silence again I'll bet..!Barry, Glenis and team, beware, there may be a revenue gatherer, (sorry I meant a parking warden) just around the corner...do hope you get it sorted soon, you don't need this **** !


more money wasted

Posted on 16-02-2015 20:44 | By AP

Shame on the neighbours. A short time ago, just before school went back, a median strip was installed at Welcome Bay School only to be pulled up and redone as it appears the first was too big to fit the road space, Who was overseeing this project?


yip

Posted on 16-02-2015 21:11 | By Capt_Kaveman

well you voted them in


Typical Concil Roading Engieeeerrs

Posted on 16-02-2015 22:21 | By The Caveman

I doubt that they every actually visited the site at school times - morning and afternoon. If the "residents" have a problem, then its simple, "bus and student transport signs: morning and afternoon - 45 minutes to 1 hour max, and no stopping signs at all other times. The school get to have buses dropping of their students morning and afternoon for 1 hour, and for the rest of the time its no stopping/parking - SORRY TOOOOO SIMPLE FOR THE COUNCIL TRAFFIC ENGEEEREESSS .


parking lines?

Posted on 17-02-2015 12:34 | By don archer

Please correct me if I am wrong, as I have been out of the country for 4 years. Have we gone from broken yellow lines to solid lines? If not, then just park there, and sue the council if they ticket you! The Don


excess yellow

Posted on 06-03-2015 20:10 | By kinacat

obviously someone must of over ordered the yellow paint and had no where to store so they sent tom dick and harry off out into the local community to spread out the excess paint here there and everywhere awesome....and if by chance someone notices well could then send tom dick and harry out into the community with the excess dark grey to cover up the yellow. And hey! presto no excess paint storage problems!lol


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