Cars stop in passing lanes to turn right on major BoP highway

Cars stopping in passing lanes to turn right on State Highway 29 near Tauranga are creating a dangerous situation and prompting calls for safety improvements, local representatives say.

Safety Concerns on State Highway 29

Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell and Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford have written to NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Transport Minister Chris Bishop outlining concerns about vehicles stopping in passing lanes to make right turns. The lack of dedicated turning bays is contributing to the problem.

The highway, a key freight and commuter route connecting Tauranga, Hamilton, and Auckland, carries heavy traffic over the Kaimai Range.

“Having cars stopped in overtaking lanes trying to turn right while trucks and cars are racing along in all three lanes at 100km/h is an incredibly unsafe situation,” the MPs said in a joint statement.

The dangerous turns are also impacting attendance at Kaimai School, with enrollment now under 70 students as parents opt for schools in Tauranga.

The MPs’ letter highlighted a history of crashes involving interactions between high-speed overtaking lanes and vehicles attempting to turn right.

Uffindell stated that numerous residents have reported witnessing vehicles stopped in passing lanes while turning right. He described a scenario where drivers are forced to swerve into the left lane to avoid collisions with stationary vehicles.

Residents have expressed fear for their safety, with one woman recounting a harrowing experience where she felt she nearly died while attempting a right turn.

Proposed Safety Fixes

The MPs have requested that NZTA review and implement several safety measures, including:

• Removing the overtaking lane outside Kaimai School, introducing an 80km/h zone, and installing variable speed signs.
• Ending the overtaking lane earlier at Thorn Rd and Old Kaimai Rd and converting the space into a right-turn bay.
• Installing a right-turn bay at Poripori Rd and potentially relocating the road entrance.
• Redesigning the turn into Soldiers Rd to reduce the need for vehicles to nearly stop on the highway.

The concerns are supported by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Kaimai ward councillors and the Kaimai Omanawa Rural Ratepayers Association.

Kaimai School principal Matthew Jackson said NZTA is planning to install variable speed limits outside the school between March and April, setting the speed to 60km/h during peak school hours.

An NZTA spokesperson acknowledged the safety concerns and stated that several improvements have been made to the route in the past decade, with more planned, including additional line markings and signage.

Bay of Plenty Police District road policing manager, Inspector Phil Gillbanks, reminded drivers to pull to the left when waiting to turn, rather than stopping in the middle of the road.