U-turns are clearly legal

Hugh Welsh (March 24) needs to read the current New Zealand Road Code which clearly states that U-turns are legal (as on Whitford Brown Ave) ‘‘as long as the road is clear in both directions and it is safe to do so.

You need to make sure you have enough room to complete the turn and don’t create a hazard for oncoming vehicles.’’

By pulling over to the right and waiting for a clear passage in both directions, residents and visitors are following the correct procedure.

I am not aware of any accidents as a result of U-turns in the three years I have lived in The Fjord and none are included in Porirua City Council or NZ Transport Agency road statistics.

The median strip and plastic strips were installed, along with the removal of the third lane and

the reduction of the speed limit to 70kmh, following the death of Ron Chippendale and had nothing to do with the Fjord subdivision.

Reports from Carrus at the time of the construction of the subdivision and recently from OPUS and the city council all indicate that a right-hand turn into The Fjord would meet roading requirements.

And that is all that residents seek. the panelists for their work.

In respect of my assessment I would like to make the following observations:

1. I know six of the seven panelists and only one of them is a regular attender at council meetings and therefore in a position to judge councillors effectiveness around the council table.

2. Again only one of them is a resident in the Eastern ward which I represent.

3. While some of them may have scratched their heads as to my motives for standing for the council again in 2013, if they were in fact residents in the Eastern ward they would have received my campaign material prior to the election and my reasons for standing would no longer have been a mystery to them.

Of the several issues I promoted, one was about local government reform.

I bring significant personal experience from the last significant local government reforms in the Wellington region and I see myself as uniquely experienced in this important area.

In terms of accessibility, I respond to all inquiries made of me by residents either immediately or on the same day they are received and do not understand why this was not seen as highly satisfactory.

I have always put Porirua first and am somewhat dismayed that my commitment to the city should be questioned.

Indeed the views generally expressed by panelists are at odds with the Kapi-Mana News’ own assessment of my efforts as a city councillor as reported prior to Christmas 2014.

I wonder also as to the wisdom of having a panelist who would have been elected in the Eastern ward had I and another councillor not been elected.

Also for the record I see personally on a regular basis the substantial efforts put in by councillors Litea Ah Hoi, Anita Baker, Denys Latham and Tim Sheppard and consider them to have been unfairly judged in this exercise.

Editor’s note: In fact, of the eight panelists who assessed councillors, two – Sandy Brewer and Bill Hiku – live in the Eastern ward and a third, Liz Kelly, works there.