Residents likely to ignore Sail GP road closure

Residents who use Governors Bay Rd on Banks Peninsula say they will drive through a road block during SailGP, rather than take a significant detour to reach their homes.

One resident who lives near Sandy Bay, off Governors Bay Rd, said she will ignore attempts to stop her passage.

“Oh blow them, they’ve got no right to stop me,” she said.

She and other residents who intend to ignore the closure live on the eastern side of Governors Bay, close to the Dyers Pass Rd turn-off where the road block will be located.

SailGP told residents in a letter they would, like last year, need to detour through Lyttelton and drive the long way along Governors Bay Rd to reach their homes. 

The letter said Governors Bay Rd would become a one-way road for residents with a valid entry pass from Lyttelton between noon and 6pm on March 23 and 24. 

Resident David Gregory also said he is likely to ignore the closure.

“It seems illogical to allow access to your home from one direction, but not from the other direction,” he said. 

“The purpose of this seems obscure.”

Governors Bay Rd resident Vix-Creag McCulloch said it was frustrating last year not being able to access their homes from both directions, despite having passes.

She said it was bad event management for residents who lived on the closed part of Governors Bay Rd.

“To be able to show the traffic wardens your pass, your rates notice and point to your house and then told to find a park and walk there was very infuriating, especially with a damaged knee.”

SailGP said in correspondence with residents the road closure was “designed to manage the flow of traffic, parking, emergency access, resident access and transport options for ticket holders”.

It said addresses in the closed areas would be mailed a pass allowing access from Lyttelton in late February or early March.

SailGP did not respond to questions from Bay Harbour News about why it was necessary to restrict access to residents, especially those who live close to Dyers Pass Rd, or if alternative options had been considered.

On its website it said the traffic management plan had been prepared with input from the city council, ChristchurchNZ, Waka Kotahi, local businesses and other stakeholders.

Lyttelton residents will also be blocked from entering the suburb through Sumner and Governors Bay and only allowed access through Tunnel Rd, Bridle Path Rd and Ferry Rd.