Laudable improvements must accept the realities

BERNICE Armstrong (ODT, 2.8.18) makes some good points about cycle lanes (though it’s early days yet) and risky manoeuvres as vehicles attempt to park along State Highway 1 in constant traffic.

Any attempts to make Dunedin a more cyclefriendly, and pedestrianfriendly, city are laudable, but not if they ignore certain realities. For example, several groups, including many hill suburb dwellers, many elderly, most outoftowners and most tourist visitors, for varying reasons are seldom or never likely to use central city cycle lanes.

And regrettably, Dunedin’s population is likely to remain too small to afford public transport types, routes and frequency that would encourage widespread use. So it seems inevitable that personal vehicles — albeit with hopefully a big increase in electric and hybrid use — will be the essential mainstay for city travel for many years.

Which raises the city parking situation. We need more information. How many parking spaces have we lost, how many more will we lose? Why is it harder recently for shoppers, as distinct from commuters, to find parking in some DCC parking buildings?

How many DCC parking spaces are leased out? What plans (if any) are there to provide more commuter parking, to better free up central parking for shorter term use?

If we really want Dunedin to remain a vibrant city, a popular regional centre, an appealing traveller destination, and to be convenient for its own citizens, it is absolutely essential that continuing provision is made for sufficient, easily accessible, vehicle parking. Mike Cowell

Waikouaiti

Mental health alerts

PEOPLE with a heart condition have cards and bracelets containing information to speed access to the right treatment, and they’re recognised by emergency services and hospitals anywhere in the world.

Why not cards for people with a recurring mental illness to speed their access to treatment?

David King

Auckland