Improving Safety and Accessibility on Tarawera Road in South Head
Engagement closed
The engagement for this project has now closed, and we will inform the community about the engagement outcome soon.
About the project
We’re addressing safety concerns on a critical section of the unformed legal road (paper road) on Tarawera Road in South Head.
A paper road is land planned for a future road that currently looks like open space, such as grass, bush, or farmland, and may appear as a road only on maps.
This section of the road is very steep (35–45% slope) and unsafe for vehicles. To prevent crashes and damage to the road, we will restrict motor vehicle access where the paper road leaves the farm track.
Other AT Projects nearby:
- Improving safety and accessibility to the Macky Road extension in Kaukapakapa
- Improving safety and accessibility on Alpine Road in Kaukapakapa
The changes we’re making
- Formalise a Motor Vehicle Filter (vehicle access restrictions) with a gate and fence as shown on the drawing.
- The farm track mostly follows the paper road, but at this point, it moves onto private property. Because this section is private land, the gate and fence can be locked without affecting the public’s right to use the legal (paper) road.
- We will make sure a stile (a small step-over structure) is built over the fence where it crosses the paper road. This means people can still walk the legal road if they feel safe to do so.
- We will investigate methods to clearly mark the boundary between the paper road and the private farmland.
- The motor vehicle filter that will be implemented is supported by Clause 12 of the Vehicle Use and Parking Bylaw 2025.
Benefits to your community:
- Safer for everyone – The road is not suitable for vehicles, so closing it to cars and trucks will reduce the risk of crashes or rollovers.
- Protects the road – Preventing vehicle use stops further damage to the paper road.
- Clearer access – Clear boundaries help the public know where the legal road ends and private land begins.
- More certainty – Formalising the gate makes the situation legal and consistent, giving clarity for both the public and local landowners.
What happens next
Any change to the plan will be updated on this page.
We will be in touch with the local residents.
We are planning to install these changes in November/December 2025
How to contact us
If you'd like to speak to someone about our plans, please email us at ATengagement@at.govt.nz(External link) by 28 November 2025
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