Reid Road residents are asking the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to move their winding, dirt road higher up its sealing schedule for safety reasons.

The top of the road over the Papamoa Hill is sealed near the access to a private golf course, but increasing traffic is causing local residents concern about the 1.4km metal section, say Geoff and Judy Neilson in their submission to the council's 2014/2015 annual plan.

Residents Grahame Hopcraft, Chloe Blackley, Judy Neilson, Alice Blackley and John Lane discussing one of the road's dangerous corners. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Reid Rd is a dead end, connected to Reid Road South and Rocky Cutting Rd by a paper road, and access to Rocky Cutting Rd is through the golf course.

The private route across the golf course is opened every time traffic is diverted over Papamoa Hills, following accidents on SH2 between Bell Rd and Te Puke.

The Reid Rd intersection with Welcome Bay Rd is about 500m from the Welcome Bay Rd/SH2 intersection.

At this week's submission hearings, Geoff provided photos to WBOPDC showing how the road, near some of the blind bends, is too narrow for vehicles to safely pass each other. He also recounted tales of near misses he and his neighbours have experienced.

There have been some major accidents in recent years with cars hitting banks, and one going through the fence and down the bank. Traffic is building on the road, says Geoff, who was initially drawn to the area by the Summerhill A1 Youth Academy and mountain bike tracks.

Now mountain bikers are including the hill as part of a regular loop ride around the Papamoa Hills.

'The mountain bikes carry on over the grass, up to the top, and they get a great run over the top and back down,” says Geoff.

Not only is bike traffic increasing, but growing numbers of vehicle-owners are making the drive simply because of the views, say Geoff and Judy.