Cyclists versus business owners
Cyclists and Awapuni residents are waiting to hear how officials will resolve their conflicting claims on College St around the Pitama Rd shopping centre.
The Palmerston North City Council has put on hold its plans to remove some on-street parking and provide a cycle lane on the busy route after local churches and businesses protested.
Council staff were told to carry out further consultation with the community and businesses.
But cycling advocate and former city councillor Chris Teosherrell is urging the council to stick with its plans and put the safety of cyclists ahead of the interests of motorists, business owners and their employees.
Teo-sherrell did his own survey of car park use at lunch time on Thursday last week and found there were plenty of vacant parking spaces.
He saw four cars parked in the same spot for one hour and 20 minutes and three of them there again on a Saturday.
‘‘These observations strongly suggest that these are cars of the business owners or employees.’’
He wanted the council to base its decision on solid evidence, such as what he had provided.
‘‘The safety of pedestrians and people riding bikes, and the goals of [the] council, which have been publicly consulted on and determined, must not be held hostage to the convenience of motorists,
and especially not to those business owners or employees who occupy parking spaces intended for their customers.’’
On one point raised by the community, he did agree.
‘‘Some speeds through the intersection are recklessly high. There need to be measures taken to lower them.’’
Awapuni resident Annette Nixon, also a former councillor, said Awapuni’s 27 business and service owners and their customers wanted all parking retained around the village.
Some businesses drew 30 per cent of their custom from shortstop traffic using council parking opposite the shops, she said.
‘‘This is a vibrant hub for community and social interaction, matched by the activity at the Community Library and adjacent churches.’’
She said many people in the neighbourhood were older, had
‘‘The safety of pedestrians and people riding bikes, and the goals of [the] council must not be held hostage to the convenience of motorists.’’ Chris Teo-sherrell
mobility problems, or had children with them, and the shopping centre was a safe, popular destination for them.
Council infrastructure manager Robert van Bentum is expected to report back to the full council on August 26.