May final update:
A significant milestone has been reached in Richmond, with the completion of a major upgrade to one of the town’s most important transport links. After a period of intensive work, Wensley Road is now fully reopened, stronger, safer, and better equipped to meet the needs of our growing community.
Built more than 50 years ago, Wensley Road was never designed to handle the 8,500 vehicle movements it now sees daily. Years of wear and increased demand meant urgent action was required.
The scale of the project was substantial, involving the removal of old coal tar layers, protection and shifting of underground fibre and power services, structural road strengthening, and precision work to widen key sections. Despite the challenges, collaboration with residents ensured the smooth delivery of a complex job.
So, what have we got?
Parts of the road have been widened to include dedicated cycle lanes, improving safety and encouraging this cheap and healthy form of transport.
With a stronger wider road, the need for speed cushions has been eliminated. The speed limit has now returned to 50km/h for the entire length.
Key sections of Wensley Road have been strengthened, reducing the frequency of ongoing maintenance in the future and a durable, smooth asphalt surface ensures a better driving experience for all users, and reduced road noise for residents.
This upgrade marks a major step forward for Richmond’s transport infrastructure and reflects our commitment to building safer, smarter roads.
Wensley Road is now truly fit for the future – done and dusted.
April key update:
Following a massive rebuild project, Wensley Road will be reopening to road users at 8pm on Sunday 4 May. This means the eBus will return to its normal route and stops from Monday 5 May.
Please note that ongoing work will continue throughout the week of 5 May, including the completion of driveways and landscaping. This work is expected to continue until Saturday 10 May and will be done under stop/go traffic management.
February original information:
Wensley Road is an important road that connects the southern areas of Richmond to the town centre. Some parts of this road need major repairs, and we’re starting this work soon.
What’s happening?
There will be a full road closure on Wensley Road between Richmond Cemetery and Waverley Street from Monday 17 February until the end of April, weather permitting. This will also affect side roads connected to Wensley Road within this area.
Work will generally take place from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm. Outside of these hours, the worksite will remain closed, but residents will have access.
What does this mean for me living in the area?
Residents within this area will receive direct communication from the team about how this work impacts them and how we will work in with them to access their properties.
What does this mean for me driving through the area?
Traffic detours will be in place for the duration of the work. You can detour via Bateup Road, Gladstone Road and Oxford Street, or alternatively via Hart Road, Hill Street and Queen Street. Please allow extra time for your journey while taking these detours.
Richmond Cemetery and Church access will be available via the Bateup Road/Hart Road intersection.
What does this mean for me taking the eBus?
Due to this closure, the eBus Routes 2 and 6 will not travel along Bateup Road and Wensley Road, and the bus stops on these roads will be closed.
Instead, the eBus will detour via Gladstone Road and Queen Street, and then carry on as normal. There will be three temporary bus stops on Gladstone Road, two near Jubilee Park, and one outside Waimea Village. The Waimea Village stop will be the end stop for Route 2, and it will turn around at Three Brothers Corner so passengers can get on here to travel in either direction.
What does this mean for me walking or cycling?
There will always be pedestrian access along Wensley Road. Cyclists will need to dismount their bikes and walk them through the works area.
Map:
Why are we doing this work?
The current road structure was built over 50 years ago and wasn’t made to handle the traffic we see now, which has doubled in the last 20 years to around 8,500 vehicles every day.
Increased traffic has also caused a lot of wear and tear, leading to the road needing more repairs. It is time to rebuild the damaged and weaker sections of road, so it is future proofed for decades to come.
What exactly are we doing?
We will rebuild two key sections of Wensley Road, making the road stronger. We will also widen the narrow section at the top of the hill to make it safer for everyone. In between the two main rebuild areas, we will be doing smaller repairs to improve the road's overall condition.
What about the work from last year?
Last year, we carried out necessary quick fixes to address urgent problems and prevent them from becoming safety hazards. This work was temporary before the bigger rebuild we’re doing now that funding is available.
Widening the hill section will also enable the speed cushions, which were installed last year to improve cyclist safety, to be removed, and the speed limit restored to 50km/h.
What challenges might we face?
We expect to come across a material called coal tar in the old road layers, which will need special handling.
To widen the road, we may need to take away some topsoil and other landscaping on the road verge, which could make things look messy for a while.
The work will take about three months. However, weather and other factors beyond our control might delay things. We will work as quickly and efficiently as we can as we understand how important this road is to everyone who lives here or travels through the area.
Will this fix everything on Wensley Road?
The sections we are rebuilding will be designed to last for several decades.
Like any busy road, other areas will continue to wear over time. While we’re fixing the main issues now, new ones will arise in the future.
We monitor deterioration on all roads and carry out more expensive reconstructions when this is needed. Sometimes it is more cost efficient to just do specific repairs, and sometimes the long-term least-cost option is to do a full reconstruction.
Do we really need to do this?
We understand road works can be frustrating, however so are potholes and damaged roads. It's important that we invest in making repairs and upgrades to maintain the longevity of our roading network, and ensure it is safe for all users.
Contact us
We apologise for any inconvenience this work may cause, and we appreciate your patience while we complete these important works to maintain our infrastructure. If you have any further concerns, please call us on 03 543 8400.
