The new traffic layout for boat trailers using the Pilot Bay ramp is not working according to a regular user.

But a Tauranga City Council spokesperson says the new layout is the result of consultation with ramp users.

Pilot Bay boat ramp user Leigh Pettigrew is not happy with the ramp's new layout.

'For it to be useable you have to back your trailer into the carpark,” says Leigh Pettigrew, who uses the boat ramp 'most days”.

'They want you to go in frontwards first, but to go in frontwards you have to swing your car right out wide to line your trailer up.

Leigh says drivers haven't got enough room to swing wide to line up a trailer and cab. 'The only way you can line your cab and trailer up is to back it in – and when you back it in, the whole thing is facing the wrong way to get it out of the park.

'You have got to go out the way they have got you coming in, and then go round and go in the ‘no entry' way just to get your car out – it's just crazy.”

Leigh says the access problems are also aggravated by narrower parking spaces. 'There's hardly room to get a car and trailer in there anymore.”

But Tauranga City Council roading manager Martin Parkes says the final layout is the result of consultation with ramp users.

'We did a huge amount of work with the boating people before we actually did anything on the street,” says Martin. 'We met a number of them on-site and did some trial runs with boats and trailers to see what would actually work.”

TCC staff put cones out to mark the kerb line and tried manoeuvring round them, says Martin.

'When we did that exercise, we moved the cones around to make sure we got it exactly right – so the boaties were happy. When we left, everybody seemed comfortable with the final layout – so that's what got built in the end.”

Martin's happy with the result, saying they've kept the same number of boat parks while making the area safer for pedestrians.

'I'm just a little surprised there appears to be an issue. We haven't received any complaints at all.”