CVSC Emerald Glen Road
NZTA has identified land classified as recreation reserve land currently part of the Department of Conservation estate at Whareroa Farm for the location of a Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC) on Emerald Glen Road at MacKays Crossing. This is one of 12 major CVSCs to be built around NZ as part of the NZTA Weigh Right programme. As this land is located between the entrances to Kapiti’s two large recreation parks – Queen Elizabeth Park and Whareroa Farm - which receive over 500,000 visitors between them each year, we do not believe that this is the right place for a CVSC.
Users moving between the two parks are already required to cross the main North Island rail corridor, plus two highway road exits, with no specific crossing area for foot, cycle or horse traffic. The addition of a Commercial Vehicle Service Centre will further increase the hazards encountered and potential for serious accidents to occur.
The Mackay’s Crossing area gives access to Kapiti’s main hub for outdoor recreational activities and environmental conservancy. The proposed site is surrounded by earmarked land for wetland restoration and the small streams that run around and under the site currently support as number of threatened fish species including Giant Kokopu, Inanga and Longfinned Eel.
Whareroa Farm is not the place for a Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre. We believe NZTA should be looking for another site, not compromising the recreational and environmental values of this area