25/05/2026
Mosgiel's Transport issues in the ODT again
Yesterday the ODT published a combination of articles that, again, highlighted the issues of congestion and heavy traffic in Mosgiel's main street.
We are unable to share the articles themselves as they are subscription only but they can be viewed via the ODT website https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/nzta-criticised-over-mosgiel-traffic-priorities or in the physical paper on page 5.
For those without access to the ODT, the articles focus on the release of the slides from the recent Mosgiel Transport Study Workshop and communication with Hon Chris Bishop, Minister of Infrastructure. Various community advocates and local politicians are quoted in the articles with the message that Mosgiel’s transport problems are being underestimated and handled without enough urgency.
Several DCC Councillors, including Councillors Treadwell, Simms, Hall, Weatherall, Chambers and Galer were quoted throughout the pair of articles, in arguing that the town’s roads, especially Gordon Rd, are already under strain from growing traffic and freight, with concerns for safety growing and the effects on quality of life in the town. Cr Simms pointed out that the council knew of at least two residents who had their car doors wiped off in recent years while exiting their vehicles in Gordon Rd, ‘‘NZTA regard these incidents as non-injury accidents when actually both drivers came within inches of being killed’’.
Minister for Infrastructure, Hon. Chris Bishop responded to a letter from Taieri MP Ingrid Leary earlier this month and is quoted in one of the articles as saying that there was “no evidence truck movements on the state highway through Mosgiel were unusual for this type of road’’, citing data from the NZTA that “truck movements were about 3.4% of traffic in Gordon Rd, State Highway 87” and “If the proposed inland port near Mosgiel went ahead, this would add about 150 truck movements a day, increasing the share to about 4.4%”. However, several Dunedin city councillors objected to Mr Bishop’s framing of the matter. Cr Brent Weatherall said the present situation was untenable - ‘‘Taking percentages out of the equation, the addition of 150 extra truck movements created from an inland port could turn the ticking time-bomb of Gordon Rd into an all-out nuclear event, taking the risk of accidental deaths from a possibility to a certainty,’’ he said.
The articles convey the frustration that government officials appear to be focusing on cheaper short-term fixes, such as walking, cycling, and minor intersection changes, instead of more substantial solutions like a heavy-traffic bypass, which some say has been needed since 2003. Critics also say government figures that focus on truck traffic percentages downplay the real danger of large trucks regularly moving through a constrained town centre.
The articles quote the Mosgiel Taieri community board, DCC Councillors and MP Ingrid Leary in pushing for transport infrastructure to keep up with growth pressures in the town.
Overall, the articles argue that Mosgiel needs long-term planning, proper investment, and shared responsibility before the situation worsens further with Dunedin city councillors calling for the NZTA to take a suitable level of responsibility. Of note, the article also mentions that Port Otago, a partner in the Southern Link logistics park project, has also advocated for a Mosgiel bypass and commissioned a study that suggested a route for it.
The article identify that the slides released publicly by the council after the workshop last week indicated transport officials have quite different priorities with a focus on quick fixes. Cr Brent Weatherall said walking and cycling initiatives were appreciated, but ‘‘would do very little to address safety and congestion issues the roading network is facing now and into the future’’. He goes on to say ‘‘The complete lack of urgency and prioritisation shown from NZTA in the last 10 years is very disappointing and the rhetoric around last week's workshop gave me no confidence that a timely intervention is on the horizon any time soon,’’ he said. Cr Doug Hall said one concern he raised during the workshop was whether some of the modelling was too focused on current pressures and existing thresholds without fully accounting for what Mosgiel could look like in 10, 20, or 30 years’ time.
‘‘If we under-forecast future demand now, we risk delivering infrastructure that is already under pressure shortly after it is built,’’ he said.
‘‘Overall, I think there is increasing attention being paid to Mosgiel’s long-term needs, but the real test will be whether planning, funding and delivery can keep up with the scale and pace of growth that is projected.’’
