KiwiRail says it wants to speak to the Dunedin City Council about plans for a inner-city freedom camping site next to the city's railway tracks.
For six months, the trial site in Thomas Burns St will be open to non-self-contained vehicles as part of an effort to take pressure off other sites in Warrington and Ocean View.
KiwiRail South Island operations manager Jeanine Benson said the company had not been informed of the trial in advance, but did not expect to have been.
The company's top priority was safety and to ensure there were adequate measures to keep people and trains separate.
No other activities should impede the safe operation of trains or the safety of people on the site, Ms Benson said.
KiwiRail would contact the council to discuss those concerns at an appropriate time, she said.
Council parks and recreation group manager Robert West said while he was unaware of any concerns the rail operator had, the council had endeavoured to contact as many neighbouring businesses as possible.
Apart from a query about resource consents from a nearby business owner, the feedback had been largely positive, Mr West said.
But Leith Valley Holiday Park and Motels owner John Aubrey said he estimated the trial site could cost him up to $100 a night.
The council was setting up a competing business which charged nothing and was paid for with ratepayer and taxpayer money, Mr Aubrey said.
"I'm still struggling to find out why they think they need to do it. I mean, who the hell gave them the mandate to do it?'' he said.
Businesses and the community told the council last year they did not want freedom camping sites in the city.
Mr West said it was important to note at the end of April the trial site would revert back to casual car parking only.
The council would evaluate the success of the trial site as part of its planning for the 2019-20 freedom camping season, he said.
While there needed to be a resource consent to operate a car park on the site, information from the council's planning department and legal opinion suggested the camping trial did not need one.
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The site will revert back to normal parking in April. That won't happen. Once it on the freedom campers radar it will be used all year long .
This again shows the bullying tactics the DCC which is appears to have ingrained in its culture, these people so called managers work for the people of Dunedin, again this shows no respect for the people of Dunedin, lets see such a site next to Cull house or any councillors house. Who ever signed off on this is has little to no respect for its Dunedin people and imo is a bully. The old story lets do a test see how it goes and we will make it just happen for good nobody will question us if they do we'll sweep it under the carpet they will get sick of complaining and go away. Dunedin people stand up against this council and get it on the national and intentional news, attract coverage that the DCC will not want. wish I still lived in Dunedin start another petition. But a good training ground for Drug dogs I suspect.
I do not understand why the Council who is paid by ratepayers (business owners) is giving away free overnight stays to tourists (not ratepayers) and even paying for their waste and toilets? The Council is in direct competition with all the holiday parks. THEY have to abide by the camp ground regulations, pay rates, pay wages, pay water, pay rubbish disposal etc. When is the Council going to give away free motel stays to tourists? Why not?
In a normal economy you would suggest that Council should encourage businesses in the city. But why does the Dunedin City Council work against its own ratepayers/businesses (Holiday Parks)? Why hand out freebies to tourists? The people staying in their non self-contained van in the city will not spend a dime more than shopping at pack&save and filling up petrol there as well. Free internet throughout the city? Complementary - of course. The same people will then try to sneak into a holiday park to have a free shower...
...and no one can do anything about it, so I am told! They will fly back to their country with more money than they had.
Wake up! Tourists get everything for free but locals get to pay for it.
Poor Dunedin, poor New Zealand.
It's a sham. Council is allowing "free" parking - not "freedom camping" - normally this would attract a ticket!
This Freedom Camping business is so poorly thought through. Council is allowing our beaches and streets to be abused by people in cars and vans without toilet facilities etc. Sure, council "says" they don't allow that - but what they're getting is people in cars and vans without proper toilet facilities etc.
New Zealand is not, and should not become, a carpark. There is no "freedom" when you are parked beside 2-3-50 other cars/vans - only "free". It's a rubbish experience, creating rubbish, and looking like rubbish. Not only that, but there is a degree of vulnerability to it all. The first attack on freedom campers by drunken local idiots will see a demand for either additional management/security - or a "camping ground".
Wait - Dunedin already has well-managed camping grounds, with the freedom to enjoy all of the facilities - it's just not free.
Tourists need to have a better experience of our country and towns through the excellent camping grounds and holiday parks - and not left to park-up in our streets and parks!
Amazing that WE ratepayers and taxpayers are paying for tourists. Why? So they, who can afford to fly from all over the world, pay nothing for daily living but use their money on petrol to get to adventure tourism like bungee jumping, kayaking, ski-ing etc which many of us cannot afford to indulge in. These tourism companies (some of which are on NZ's Rich List) will be very happy. I sympathise with the Camp Ground and Holiday Park operators. That is where these 'car campers' should go. Locals can't pay for them. Why should they? Yes, anger is justified here.