Balanced debate required on future of city’s oneway system

YOUR editorial ‘‘Debate and Dunedin’s oneways’’ (ODT, 6.9.22) does your public few favours.

The assumptions underpinning its opposition to the twoway option ‘‘ . . . traffic grinds to a halt . . . the city becomes dislocated . . . residents cannot move freely’’ are presented, sadly once again, devoid of a scrap of evidence.

The misrepresentation starts from the point of assuming that the choice is between what we have now and the ‘‘twoway’’ proposal. It isn’t.

What we have now ceases to exist in either option. The choice is between a revised oneway system and the ‘‘twoway’’ proposal.

Your readers would be better served if that was explained and the assumptions made above tested against each of them.

The beauty of Dunedin as a city is diminished by having State Highway 1 run through its heart. The cost involved in either proposed option is large, but the cost difference between them was, from my recollection, relatively small.

If no change is made now, it is doubtful that a change can ever be made. The decision is therefore significantly important but instead it has become an uninformed debate.

The issue is surely an empirical one. How much additional time on your journey would you accept in order to have a more liveable city? Two minutes, five minutes, 20 minutes?

If the answer is the first I would grab it with both hands. The latter, unlikely.

The answer matters and the preliminary data existed when I was on the Hospital Rebuild Board (SPG), and has probably been refined significantly since.

In a matter of this importance the Otago Daily Times would serve its public better by explaining the actual choices and the real impact, instead of encouraging this uninformed debate, before a onceinhistory chance is lost forever.

Richard Thomson (Former board member Southern Partnership Group) Maori Hill

People before upgrades

IT is ironic that the upgrades and revitalisation of George St are happening at a time when more and more people in unfortunate circumstances are seen asking on the street for money and assistance.

Never before have I witnessed in Dunedin such levels of visible poverty, and it feels wrong that so much money would be poured into this project without first addressing the struggle an increasing amount of people in our community are facing.

Our leaders may not want to address or take responsibility for this issue, but the reality is obvious to anyone walking through our city centre.

What a shameful contradiction the extravagance will be if this problem continues to exacerbate.

James Parsons

Roseneath ...................................