Providing alternative natural disaster escape routes is the driving force for a Papamoa community group's petition as they beg with Tauranga City Council to fast track their concerns.

Papamoa Evacuation and Road Safety founding member Paul Melhuish.

Papamoa Evacuation and Road Safety Group are currently running a community based petition promoting the expansion of Golden Sands Drive linking up with Te Okuroa Drive and Parton Road roundabout in the attempt to provide extra escape routes.

Last week SunLive reported disgruntled Nicole Place resident Toni Thomas questioning the need for the extension of Golden Sands Drive saying the expansion means drivers will bottle neck at the intersection and the road would increase crime rates if there was an empty subdivision.

Papamoa Evacuation and Road Safety founding member Paul Melhuish notes Toni's concerns but says their petition, which has 1000 signatures, is more broad brushed than just focussing on a ‘tsunami'.

'We use ‘natural disaster' or anything that happens down in Papamoa East that requires people to exit in either a hurry or not a hurry and we have one way to get out,” says Paul.

'If Papamoa Beach Road was to be blocked in particular areas, say if something happens between Papamoa Springs Boulevard and Parton Road we are completely blocked in.”

As part of this year's council annual plan deliberations, the group submitted a submission outlining their concerns about emergency access, stating council would rather spend millions on 4-laning roads which are of sufficient standard.

They suggested fast tracking the road, at an estimated cost of $2-3million, will offer an alternative route to Papamoa Beach Road which is currently the only major exit point for Papamoa residents.

In response council acknowledged their concerns but say bringing the construction of Te Okuroa Drive forward requires a number of 'significant” issues to be addressed. The current trigger for the construction of Te Okuroa Drive is 14,300 vehicles per day on Papamoa Beach Road, east of Parton Rd, and current traffic levels are about 8000 vehicles.

Council adds the current focus for road funding in the area is the upgrading and future four-laning of Tara Road, as well as 4-laining of Domain Road – and if they moved Te Okuroa Drive forward it will cost council between $20 and $25million to fully fund the project.

They defend this upgrade by saying the Tauranga Eastern Link and its associated projects, including the Tara Road/Domain Road/SH2 grade separated interchange will provide a better level of service to the flow of traffic wishing to exit Papamoa East.

But Paul is not of the same belief, claiming council is sitting on the million dollar figure knowing full well if the whole of Te Okuroa Drive is completed it will go past the existing houses.

'If you look at our plan we want Golden Sands Drive to be completed and then about 1.4 kilometres of road joining Te Okuroa to Tara Road roundabout,” says Paul.

'We don't actually need this whole road put in we just need this part built and they will have solved the problem.”