Tim van de Molen
National MP for Waikato
23 November 2017
Local MP Receives Residents’ State Highway Safety Submission
A group of Gordonton Residents are determined to make their village safer for residents and visitors alike.
In a brief ceremony this morning Tim van de Molen, Member of Parliament for Waikato, met with residents, Waikato
District Deputy Mayor Dynes Fulton, Gordonton School Principal David McNair, John Riddell – Chairman of the Gordonton
District Committee and Karen Boyt – Manager NZTA, to officially take receipt of the submission.
Gordonton Village is situated north of Hamilton City, sitting on State Highway 1B through to Taupiri. The village has
flourished, is a popular stop for visitors, and with just under 1,500 permanent residents, the roads are busy. At the
Waikato District Council’s last actual count, the Annual Average Daily Traffic (ADT) at the Gordonton shops was 700
vehicles, with numbers in excess of 7,000 per day sweeping in and out of State Highway 1B (south).
The submission, backed by 168 signatures, outlines key concerns around pedestrian safety – the parents and thirty-two
children who twice daily cross State Highway 1B to Gordonton Primary School and Rainbows Early Childhood Centre,
necessitating a safe crossing zone. The construction of a footpath running from State Highway 1B running past the
EastWest Missionary College to Rainbows Early Childhood Centre is also a priority. The petition also touches on road
maintenance and road noise concerns, and a plea to lower the speed limit through the main village from the current
70km/h limit.
Mr van de Molen was pleased to receive the submission, “Gordonton Village has developed significantly, and we are seeing
a steady population growth in the north of Hamilton. With that growth, there comes the need for increased public safety
infrastructure – as such, I welcome a review of pedestrian safety in Gordonton. In receiving this submission, I am happy
to convey the Gordonton community’s message to central Government.”
As Parliament’s House sits for four weeks prior to Christmas, Mr van de Molen will pass a copy of the submission to the
Minister of Transport, Hon Phil Twyford for his consideration and response.
ENDS