Having driven over the Kaimai Hill on State Highway 29 a few times recently, I have noticed that the driving conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous on this road due to the increased volume of heavy trucks.

Driving over the Kaimais used to be a pleasant experience with attractive views, but it has now become a scary drive – playing dodgem cars trying to avoid trucks on this road.

Many trucks now overtake each other, creating dangerous conditions for other motorists, with the limited overtaking lanes and narrow lane width.

A recent accident involved two overtaking trucks colliding and spilling logs over the road, holding up traffic for several hours. Photos of Kaimai truck accidents are hair-raising – a truckload of molasses spilling across the highway, containers going over the bank, a car sandwiched between a truck and trailer unit – it just goes on and on. This situation is unacceptable for users of this highway.

One solution would be to provide a designated ‘trucks only' lane on the left on both sides of the Kaimai Hill with heavy vehicles limited to this lane, and overtaking prohibited. This would allow other vehicles to overtake trucks safely on the hilly sections.

When the Ministry of Works built this road in the 1970s, it was constructed to a high standard at the time, but was not designed to take the current volumes of heavy vehicles. It is clear the existing road is now unable to cope with the traffic. A new road, a very substantial upgrade of the existing route, or increased rail capacity through the Kaimai Tunnel, are needed as a matter of urgent priority.

P Nixon, Brookfield.