Take out the lights

The council is still planning to proceed with lights at Norman Smith / Wairakei Drive intersection.

The mayor stated (October 18) that they are appointing someone to install lights soon. The ‘problem’ at the intersection is minor, despite various parties trying to overstate its urgency, with only five to 10-minute delays at most over an hour in weekday mornings. To install lights ($560,000) means the other 23 hours will be controlled for no identifiable benefit, and increases well documented frustration for drivers waiting for phases to change.

Few councillors including the mayor, nor the CEO, are interested in seriously discussing this poor decision or reading this report (goo.gl/n56J5k) critical of the consultants’ report, nor providing any substantial evidence for the advantages of lights. To quote the mayor “if they don’t work, we’ll pull them out” and to quote councillor Anna Park “they are an interim measure”.

The two issues — traffic management and volume — need to be included in TDC’s Transport Strategy that has yet to be started. Why waste half a million, while potentially annoying thousands of voters?

There are now several options — a petition ( with strong support), local government act review, public resource consent submission, AuditNZ review. I call on councillors to withdraw the lights or face a long-term public battle against this overwhelmingly unpopular decision.

PAUL HENSON

(abridged)