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Gulf Harbour residents Vicki Williams and Sue Bunce are calling for urgent traffic calming measures on Gulf Harbour Drive and Regency Park Drive, following the death of a pair of swans in May and reports of near misses involving schoolchildren.
The pair presented their case to the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board last month, highlighting the risks to wildlife and to students crossing near Wentworth College and other points along the busy road.
Bunce told the board that although the swans’ deaths were distressing for the community, their main concern is child safety.
“Driving towards the college crossing there’s too much to take in visually at busy times, especially with buses blocking the view of children rushing out behind them,” Bunce said. She suggested that buses be parked further up the road where a lay-by is available.
Auckland Transport (AT) has committed to installing some improvements by November, including driver feedback signs, slow markings on the road, and new pedestrian warning signs. However, Bunce and Williams said stronger measures are needed and asked for the board’s help in escalating it with AT.
Their requests included speed bumps from Regency Park Drive to the college pedestrian crossing, CCTV cameras at crossing points, and animal warning signs. AT had declined these, citing the road’s arterial status, police responsibility for cameras, and the non-native status of swans.
Through flyers and consultation, Williams and Bunce gathered wider community feedback, which identified additional high-risk junctions. Parents want full pedestrian crossings at Cascaden Road and Pinecrest Drive, where children must cross Gulf Harbour Drive to reach schools. They noted that in a recent accident at Pinecrest Drive, a boy was knocked off his bike.
Another concern, said the pair, is the Fairway Bay Marina roundabout, located beside a new kindergarten and a lake with swans. Two swans have been killed there as they walked to the sea, and with fast-track approval sought for Hobbs Bay Marina, traffic volumes are expected to rise significantly, especially with boat trailers heading to the ramp. They said a pedestrian crossing is urgently needed in front of the kindergarten.
Bunce and Williams have asked for a meeting with AT planners to ensure measures are installed in the most effective locations.
“Large living things like swans are being killed,” Bunce said. “The next size up is a small child in dark clothing.”
