Introducing car parks along Hahei's Lees and Pa roads, expanding the existing park and ride service and promoting the existing public transport service.

These are the key recommendations from an independent Traffic Assessment Report relating to the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Great Walks Project which was released this week.

An independent Traffic Assessment Report relating to the Coromandel Great Walk Project has been released this week. Photo: TCDC

The findings of the independent report were presented this week to the Hahei Ratepayers and Stakeholders Group by the report authors, traffic management consultants MWH.

It was commissioned to provide a high-level traffic impact, parking and road maintenance assessment for an area within Mercury Bay, including Hot Water Beach, Hahei Village, Cooks Beach and Ferry Landing towards Whitianga.

The report also identifies suitable measures for addressing these issues both in the short-term and longer term with the development of the first Great Walks route.

Council's Project Executive Garry Towler says this summer visitor numbers, visitor behaviour and traffic counts for Hahei and the surrounding areas will need to be measured.

'The Report is quite clear in its recommendations that there's a range of mitigation tools,” says Garry. 'The park and ride shuttle service, along with car parking on the edge of Hahei township, to facilitate those visiting Hahei village, the beach and Cathedral Cove and greatly reduces traffic to Grange road.

'An additional car park is required away from Hahei Village to further remove traffic from the village and provide an alternative access to Cathedral Cove, which supports both the Pa Rd and Lees Rd options.”

Garry adds that a meeting for Lees Rd residents will also be taking place on Thursday, October 15, to share the Traffic Report findings.

To immediately address existing issues, a budget is already allocated in council Long Term Plan towards the construction of a car park at Pa Rd beside the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

This area has the capacity up to 200 car parks and will enable continuation of the park and ride to allow people to be shuttled up to Grange Rd.

'The Lees Rd car park is also needed to address current traffic issues and we are in negotiations with a private landowner around the potential of a 500 vehicle car park there, that would provide an alternative solution for people to access Cathedral Cove.”

The report will now be taken to the Coromandel Great Walks Project Governance Group for discussion during its next meeting on next meeting scheduled for Friday, October 23.

This Governance Group is made up of council, DOC and local iwi Ngati Hei, who are the facilitators and fundraisers of the Great Walks Project.

To read the full MWH Traffic Assessment Report click here.

To learn more about the Coromandel Great Walk project visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's website at: http://www.tcdc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Council-Projects/Current-Projects/Coromandel-Great-Walks-Project/