Drivers heading up to the North Egmont Visitor Centre this summer will need to heed messages on a digital sign placed by NPDC on Egmont Road, following a change from the one-car-in/one-car-out system of recent years.

Parking is limited on the mounga, with the car park filling quickly on sunny days. This year, NPDC will have a digital sign at the Egmont Road/Lepper Road intersection to alert drivers when the car park is full.

The change is due to funding from the NZ Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi no longer being available.

NPDC Infrastructure Delivery Lead Matt Richardson says the previous system was funded by the NZ Transport Agency which paid about $120,000 for it last year. NPDC was not in a position to cover what NZTA had previously funded, but the digital sign would cost about $6,000 during the busiest summer periods.

“We recognise that we need to do something to help manage traffic during a busy time of year,” he says. “It’s a very popular place for people to go during summer but there just isn’t enough room for everyone’s vehicles.

“If you’re driving up Egmont Road and the signs say the car park is full, please don’t continue up to the visitor centre. We encourage you to explore the mounga through one of its other entrances or take some time on one of our region’s great lake or forest walks instead.”

The signs will be on Egmont Road on the following dates:

• 26 December to 9 February – every day from 6am to about 4pm (weather dependent).

• Easter weekend.

Fast facts:

• NPDC maintains 1,309km of roads, 960km (73 per cent) of which are rural.
• NPDC manages 1,600ha of park and reserve land and 82km of walkways.

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