Otumoetai's Doreen Anderson is encouraging fellow residents to support her at a ‘very important' Tauranga City Council meeting tomorrow, when she addresses the committee about a decision to close the Seaway Terrace/Ngatai Rd walkway.

The Seaway Terrace/Ngatai Rd walkway.

KiwiRail is working to close any crossings that don't meet minimum safety codes if the local councils decide not to bring the crossings up to the required safety standards. The informal crossing, which is on a bend, hasn't met safety requirements or sightlines.

'It's quite an important issue to us and as you'll see at the presentation tomorrow, we've got quite a lot to say about it,” says Doreen, who put a petition to council in 2013.

Doreen says council assured residents at that stage that the walkway would never be closed. But a flyer was stapled to the walkway fence advising residents of the intended closure about 10 days ago.

This upset residents, says Doreen, who believes they deserve some consideration.

'The arbitrary action of putting up a notice without any due consultation, no due process followed, or risk assessment table for scrutiny is not democracy at all.”

Doreen believes railways have a duty of care to the public. Removing access to the walkway isn't the answer, she says. 'But improving it and making it safer with signs, safer steps, gravel ramps and regular maintenance could be.”

Overall, Doreen is requesting TCC delays the ‘hasty process' and gives residents a ‘stay of execution' for at least a month.

'I don't know how many more bullets we have to fire, but we need to have some discussion with the powers that be to point out the effect it has on our lives.”

The meeting will be held at 12.45pm at Tauranga City Council chambers on Monday.