No go: A dispute between a landowner and the Dunedin City
Council has kept this portion of the Anzac Ave-Ward St
overbridge closed to traffic for the past six months. Photo
by Bruce Munro
Businesses on the "wrong side of the tracks" are
frustrated an ongoing dispute between Dunedin City Council and
landowner Doug Hall has kept a portion of the Anzac Ave-Ward St
overbridge closed for more than six months.
It is more than two months before the next scheduled High
Court appearance for the city council and Mr Hall over a
dispute which has kept traffic lights at the intersection of
Frederick St and Anzac Ave turned off and the northwest
portion of the railway overbridge closed.
While some businesses on the harbour side of the bridge had
no complaints, others said they and their customers were
frustrated by the restricted access.
Brian Russell, Dunedin branch manager of truck rental firm TR
Group Ltd, said some customers had been annoyed by the impact
of the road closure.
"The turn-off coming back from Port is tight," Mr Russell
said.
"You can't stay on your own side of the road which is a
problem, especially if traffic is coming off the bridge at
the same time."
The manager of another company, who did not want his name
used because of business links with parties in the dispute,
described the road closure as a "pain in the neck".
In August, council city environment manager Tony Avery
confirmed a High Court injunction had been obtained by Anzac
Ave landowner Doug Hall, stopping the council from
commissioning the lights at the intersection of Frederick St,
Anzac Ave and State Highway 88.
In December it was reported the issue related to the entrance
to a yard Mr Hall owned, next to the lights.
Court documents showed the council and Anzide Properties Ltd,
of which Mr Hall is the sole director, as the parties
involved in the dispute, it was reported.
Contacted by The Star, Mr Hall and Mr Avery both said they
could understand frustration was growing.
"Personally I haven't heard of frustrations from businesses,
but I'm sure there are," Mr Avery said.
Because the matter was subject to a High Court order there
was little he could say about the issue, he said.
"We are still hopeful of finding a resolution without going
to court."
Mr Hall thought the matter was likely to end up in court.
Court dates have been set and deferred several times.
The next court date was set for April 24, Mr Hall said.
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