Council receives official World Rally Champs application

Waikato District Council has received an official application to hold stages of the World Rally Championship in the Raglan and Te Akau areas on September 30.

As part of the application process, there is a proposal to temporarily close a number of roads in those areas that would allow the event to take place.

The details of these proposed closures are as follows:

Whaanga Coast Special Stages

 Waimaori Rd, Matawha Rd, Tuturimu Rd, Ruapuke Rd (from Tuturimu intersection), and Whaanga Rds on Tuesday September 27 (reconnaissance*) from 9am to 12 noon and on Friday September 30 from 6.30am to 4.30pm.

Te Akau South Special Stages

Ruakiwi Rd from Te Akau Rd intersection, Mangiti Rd and Te Akau South Rd until Te Akau Rd and Te Akau Coast Rd intersection on Tuesday September 27 (reconnaissance) from 11.30am to 3pm and on Friday September 30 from 8am to 6pm.

Te Akau North Special Stages

Te Akau Coast Rd, Matira Rd, Dixon Rd and Waimai Valley Rd from intersection with Dixon Rd on Tuesday September 27 (reconnaissance) from 12.15pm to 3.20pm and Friday September 30 from 9am to 7pm.

Organisers have also proposed to close Raglan’s main street on Friday September 30 from 10am to 5pm to host an opportunity for the public to get up close and personal with World Rally drivers in a festival-type atmosphere.

An important part of the process is public feedback on these proposed closures.

That feedback will be taken into consideration by Councillors when making a decision on whether to approve the application or not.

The public can lodge their support for, or opposition to, the proposed road closures by going to www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/wrc2022 and filling out a feedback form by 5pm on July 8.

Or written feedback can be sent to World Rally Championship Proposed Road Closures, Waikato District Council, Private Bag 544, Ngaruawahia, 3742.

While the public consultation is happening, organisers are working on more detailed documents such as Traffic Management Plan, safety management plan and stakeholder management plan which are submitted to Council for review and form part of the consideration for whether the application is approved.

Should the application be approved, a bond would be required so that any repairs and maintenance of the used roads would come at no cost to ratepayers.

A pre and post inspection of the roads would take place and grading of the roads would take place as soon after the event as possible.

In the months leading up to the event, organisers would communicate extensively with residents of affected roads.

And alternative routes for through traffic would be finalised and clearly identified closer to the time of the event.

(*Reconnaissance is common in World Rally Championship events where drivers are able to drive the stage before the competition to create their own pace notes for the event. Maximum speed during reconnaissance would be 80kmh and residents would be able to travel in same direction as rally cars during reconnaissance closures.)