Too tight for rubbish truck

Dunedin's Cosy Dell is getting a little too cosy for some residents who say their street is being blocked by people parking on both sides of the narrow road.

The situation was so bad, an elderly resident, who declined to be named, said she had not had her rubbish collected for several weeks because the rubbish trucks could not fit up the street.

She questioned what would happen if there was a fire or medical emergency in the street, because a fire engine or ambulance would not fit between cars parked on both sides of the road.

"This is dangerous."

She believed the parking problem was caused by people who worked in the city centre.

"There used to be a big ditch across the road, and since it was filled in, cars had started parking on both sides of the road.

"Yesterday I had to get a lady to guide me between two parked cars because the space was so tight. There was no other way I could get home."

"I talked to another lady who had just parked her car across the road from another car, and said how awkward it was when people parked like that.

"She said, ‘I’m not parking illegally. It’s the DCC’s fault’."

Dunedin student Jack Castle said he and his flatmates agreed it was a major problem and they had called the DCC several times to complain.

"If there’s an emergency, an ambulance couldn’t get up here. I think that’s a big risk. It definitely needs to be sorted out."

He said his flat created a lot of rubbish, and sometimes it could not be taken away because the refuse truck could not get through.

"He comes down the hill, but recently he had to back all the way back up the hill — about 400m — to the junction because he couldn’t fit between two cars parked across from each other. It was bad."

DCC transport group manager Jeanine Benson said council was aware of the issue and was exploring ways to address it.

"The DCC needs to ensure emergency vehicles and waste management trucks, as well as residents and other motorists, can use the road without impediment.

"As a result, we are considering introducing a temporary traffic management plan in the short term, until permanent changes can be considered by the traffic and parking bylaw sub-committee in the coming weeks."

Ms Benson said a letter would be sent to residents soon, asking them to reply with their views. It was understood most people parking on this section of Cosy Dell were not residents.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz