Chalmers Community Board members were "disappointed" at the board's meeting on Wednesday by the council's response to safety concerns about fully-laden logging trucks using the winding back road from Mt Cargill Rd, near Waitati, to Port Chalmers, Cr Noone said.
To use the road fully laden trucks must have an approved traffic management plan.
Trucks must not exceed 14 tonnes, which allows an empty truck and piggy-back trailer.
A "rogue element" used the road fully laden without special permission, Cr Noone said.
"The majority [of trucking firms] are abiding by the rules."
Using Blueskin Rd saved truckies about 20km by avoiding the city, he said.
The council did not have the resources to stop breaches, which would involve intensive surveillance to obtain proof.
The council advised the board of measures under way to mitigate danger caused by the narrowness of road at the corner at Scott Monument. Cr Noone said the improvements would make the corner safer for all vehicles.
These comprised re-marking the centre-line, replacing the missing 25kmh sign, installing a mirror and trimming vegetation.
It would also cost the removal of between 50cm and 1m of rock opposite the memorial.
In his report, council policy engineer Pieter Besuijen said public fears about logging trucks on the road were not backed up by crash statistics. Between 2000 and 2010 only one truck had crashed on Blueskin Rd, when it swung too wide at the monument.
The council was reluctant to add to the industry's operating costs when it was "difficult to demonstrate unsubstantiated accident and safety issues".
Seven trucking companies held permits for the route.
Mr Besuijen told the Otago Daily Times the public wrongly believed logging trucks were more dangerous than other vehicles.
"I believe people find logging trucks intimidating - it's a perception."
He said council staff were dealing with a company over a possible breach.
Staff were also educating newer permit holders about the requirements for the road.
He agreed the council did not have the resources to station compliance officers at the road, and installing a camera was not feasible.
Community board chairwoman Jan Tucker said it was a frustrating situation to which there was no simple answer. People did not feel safe on the road, especially in the past 18 months as logging truck activity had increased.
It was crucial to work constructively with the industry and council staff on the issue, she said.
