Students Caught By City Council Blunder

Hundreds of Wellington students have been left driving the streets of Kelburn looking for parks after Wellington City Council closed Wai-te-ata Road without any notification this morning. Wai-te-ata Road is the only access way to the 130 space student carpark at Victoria University.

"When students arrived at University this morning they were waved past the carpark entrance way by frustrated looking roadwork staff, leaving them nowhere to go," VUWSA President Chris Hipkins said today.

"This is a monumental blunder on the part of the Council. The carpark sat empty for much of the last four months while students were on holiday, and then less than three weeks into term the Council closes the road. Where is the planning in that?"

Chris Hipkins said permits for the Wai-te-ata Road carpark were allocated on a needs basis, so students who were entitled to park there had a genuine need to do so.

"Some of these students have children in the crèche, physical disabilities or other special needs. It shows an incredible lack of competence for the Council to close of the carpark without any notification,"

Mr. Hipkins said the Association was urgently trying to contact the Council, but at this stage the road remained closed.

"There is a massive big hole in it! It will be at least the rest of today before they can reopen it anyway. What are students expected to do in the meantime?" Mr. Hipkins asked.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Chris Hipkins, President
Phone (04) 473 8566 ext. 830
Mobile (021) 707 927

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