I read an article last year that after the council decided to abolish our siren system (that we had already paid for - thanks for that TCC) they have put in place an ‘evacuation scheme' for Mount and Papamoa residence. It is planned that all roads are closed off from Tauranga to the Mount to allow for the Mounties to evacuate using both lanes towards Tauranga and all roads from Te Puke towards Papamoa would close to allow all Papamoa residence to evacuate using both lanes towards Te Puke.
Not a bad theory, although I do wonder about the congestion it is going to cause at the Bell road intersection? At least in the Mount they do not have far to flee with plenty of exit routes, whereas maybe now would be a great time for greedy land developers to back off from building anymore cheap boxed in houses on the minutist amount of land in Papamoa as we clearly do not enough exit routes to accommodate all the people we now house in this area should an evacuation be needed.
Here's an idea - why doesn't TCC finally start listening to the residents that actually live in the high risk areas who have a right as rate payers to request a decent warning system and evacuation plan to get their families out safely and quickly to reduce fatalities, instead of pumping money into stupid projects like museums and art galleries (I am all for history and art but not before safety and practicality) and as for those greedy land developers - he who dies with most toys, still dies... instead of busting up new land why not chip in and fill the already existing half-built abandoned developments around the area?
Nic Beattie, Papamoa Beach.