We’re looking to formalise the existing safety gate and padlock that stops motor vehicles on the Western end of Motutara Road in Muriwai.

This project aims to:

• Keep the community and visitors safe, by retaining the existing safety gate and padlock on a section of Motutara Road at Muriwai Beach.
• Continue access only for emergency service vehicles, maintenance vehicles, and authorised vehicles from the Muriwai Surf Club and Muriwai Sports Fishing Club.

Your safety is important to us:

• This existing safety gate has been in place for many years. It protects public health and safety associated with unauthorised vehicles having access to a part of Muriwai Beach that is very popular with beach goers.
• The road past the gate is narrow and there is no room for vehicles to turn around past this point unless they drive on the tidal rock shelf, which is a danger to themselves and other road users including people walking.
• The existing locked gate reduces the risk of accidents from reversing vehicles and ensures the safety of all visitors. There are a number of people who access the beach, coastal walk and bird sanctuary on foot.
• It ensures that emergency services and Muriwai lifesaving patrol can get through uncompromised. It also retains access for authorised members/vehicles of the Muriwai Sport Fishing Club, following agreed health and safety protocols.

Proposal outcome

In October 2023, Auckland Transport (AT) proposed to formalise the existing safety gate and padlock that stops motor vehicles on the Western end of Motutara Road in Muriwai. The project aimed to keep the community and visitors safe, by retaining the existing safety gate and padlock on a section of Motutara Road at Muriwai Beach, and continue access only for emergency service vehicles, maintenance vehicles, and authorised vehicles from the Muriwai Surf Club and Muriwai Sport Fishing Club.

 We received 182 submissions. The community feedback showed a clear support for the project: 70% of the respondents told us formalising the safety gate would benefit the community, and 14% told us it would not. A further 10% suggested a change to improve the proposal or an alternative, and 6% told us they need further information.

Summary of consultation feedback 

We heard a clear support for formalising the existing safety gate and padlock that stops motor vehicles on the Western end of Motutara Road in Muriwai. 70% of respondents told us formalising the existing safety gate and padlock would benefit the community, and 14% told us it would not.

10% of respondents suggested changes to the proposal, and 6% told us they need further information on the proposal.

What happens next 

The proposal will proceed to the Traffic Control Committee for decision, with no changes to proposal following public consultation.

Auckland Transport responses to community feedback

Community concerns

Through their submissions, some members of the community raised their concerns, and AT has responded to the most common concerns in the table below:

Community concerns

Concern about restricted beach access (11 mentions)

“To close Motutara Road access to Muriwai Beach leaves no legal access for the public at the Southern end.”

The proposal only restricts access for vehicles, so pedestrians can still access the southern end of Muriwai beach. Providing unrestricted vehicle access introduces significant safety risks associated with vehicles movements on the legal road, rock shelf, and busy beach goer end of Muriwai beach. Authorised vehicle access is proposed to manage legitimate access needs and associated safety risks.

Concern about restricted boat launch access (7 mentions)

“This is the main access for people to launch their boats from.”

It is acknowledged Muriwai beach is a challenging environment in which to launch and retrieve a boat. The southern end of Muriwai beach is often considered the safest location for this activity. Providing unrestricted public access through Motutara Road to enable boat users to launch their boat on the southern end of introduces significant safety risks to themselves and other users on the legal road, rock shelf, and busy section of the beach.

The proposal mitigates the main safety risks by removing unrestricted vehicle access, although the proposal continues to provide access for Muriwai Sport Fishing Club authorised club members/vehicles in compliance with agreed Health and Safety protocols.  

Concern the proposal is dangerous (5 mentions)

“This will cause people to launch their boat off up the beach which can be very dangerous as you are not as sheltered be the rocks.”

It is proposed that Muriwai Sport Fishing Club authorised club members/vehicles will continue to have access through the gate, providing they follow agreed health and safety protocols.  A similar arrangement has been in place for more than 15 years and has proven to be effective in managing the safety risks associated with this section of road, the rock shelf, and the southern end of Muriwai beach. The proposal will effectively not change vehicle access for general boat users (unauthorised users) compared to what has been in operation in the last 15 years.

Community suggestions in feedback

Keep status quo (10 mentions)

“Keep the gate as is.”

Yes, we will be maintaining the current gate and padlock. This proposal is to formally establish a permanent ban on vehicular traffic to the public except for authorised vehicles such as emergency service vehicles, maintenance vehicles, and authorised vehicles from the Muriwai Surf Club and Muriwai Sports Fishing Club.

Allow public access to the beach (4 mentions)

“Muriwai Beach is a public Road for legal access & cannot be locked off from the public access.”

Given the safety concerns that have been identified, it was deemed necessary for Auckland Transport to impose a permanent ban to vehicular access except authorised vehicles. The gate only restricts access for vehicles so pedestrians can still access the southern end of Muriwai Beach.

Community enquiries in feedback             

 Is Muriwai still going to be accessible to public vehicles from other locations? (1 mention)

Yes, there are alternative vehicle access points to Muriwai beach further north. Alternatively, authorised members of the Muriwai Sports Fishing Club may receive a key to unlock the gate provided they follow the agreed health and safety protocols.

What is the reason you are looking to update the circumstances around this gate when it has been in place for so long anyway? (1 mention)

The existing gate and padlock have been maintained since the time of Rodney District Council. A similar arrangement to this proposal has been in place for more than 15 years and has proven to be effective in managing the safety risks associated with this section of road, the rock shelf, and the southern end of Muriwai beach. On recent review of the gate and padlock, it was considered necessary to engage the community and update the decision making for the restriction on the legal road.

Will there be any restrictions around hours of access? (3 mentions)

Vehicular access will be prohibited for 24 hours 7 days a week except authorised vehicles.