We need more roads

Ben Wooliscroft says roads were paved because of cyclist activism (Time for private cars to give way on our roads, Feb 13). We know there was huge relief in the cities when cars and trams arrived and got rid of horses and their sewage.

Roads were dustbowls before tarsealing. Tarseal fixed that problem. Also, upkeep was cheaper, meaning more sealing could be done.

Roads allowed NZ to be turned from a wasteland into beautiful farmland making us the wealthy little country we are today, and is now keeping us that way.

We need more four-lane highways to make roads safer and to cut the costs of using them, cheaper cartage costs and loss-of-time costs.

Ben wants to slow the traffic. Slow traffic causes congestion, and drivers lose concentration, one of the most important aspects of safe driving.

Cities have to find a way to rid the inner city of diesel vehicles, the big monsters women like to take their kids to school in.

Cycling will always have limited appeal – they are slow if you have to travel far, and no good in storms or winter. Humans are wired to convenience, hence drive-through restaurants.

They will change in their own good time. In the meantime we will just have to keep building roads. Electric cars have to start paying road user charges, they are riding on the backs of the rest of us.

Garth Scown, Whanganui [abridged]

Ben Wooliscroft is spot-on about the need for our streets and cities to be reclaimed from cars. He is also correct in stating a cultural shift is required.

He cites the Dutch experience, transforming their cities into attractive, vibrant towns by assigning priority to pedestrians and cyclists, but he omitted the crucial instrument allowing the transformational cultural attitude-shift – Dutch liability law.

This law, which has been copied in many other European cities and Japan, assigns liability to motorists ‘‘unless the collision is the result of circumstances beyond their control’’. It has been interpreted by courts to mean that motorists must be alert for pedestrians or cyclists even when they behave badly – like going through a red light.

Many Kiwis fume when told of such laws – ‘‘Why should I be responsible if a bloody cyclists goes through a red light’’.

The answer is: go to the Netherlands and see all the kids cycling to school with big smiles on their faces knowing they are safe (as well as their parents cycling to

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work). Their streets are not congested with noisy, polluting and dangerous vehicles. Their cities are truly liveable and ours could easily be too.

Simon Louisson, Seatoun

I’m still waiting Down the OIA rabbit hole

Re (Feb 13), the purpose of the Official Information Act includes:

■ to increase progressively the availability of official information to the people of New Zealand in order;

(i) to enable their more effective participation in the making and administration of laws and policies; and (ii) to promote the accountability of Ministers of the Crown and officials;

■ and thereby to enhance respect for the law and to promote the good government of New Zealand.

Processes that impede the release of information negate the democratic process the legislation provides for. I submitted a review request to the Office of the Ombudsman in November 2018 regarding a decision made by the Director of Mental Health and Addiction to withhold information in accordance with section 9(2) (a) of the Official Information Act.

The grounds for withholding official information in section 9 of the OIA and section 7 of the LGOIMA are subject to a ‘‘public interest test’’. The Office of the Ombudsman has a guide that outlines the machinations involved in establishing release/withhold criteria. The guide recognises that the timely release of information can be very important (p11 of guide, final paragraph).

I am still awaiting a decision from this Office, some 15 months later. Such a delay does nothing other than highlight the inefficacies of the current review process. Julie Hopcroft, Feilding

Shift the airport

The intelligent answer to the transport problem is simply to shift the airport.

It makes absolutely no sense to funnel all mid and lower passenger North Island traffic south through the chokepoint of Wellington city.

With plans produced and the Government suddenly spending billions on transport issues now is the time for Wellington to realign itself of the problem and shift the airport site north, closer to the centre of demand and reap the new advantages free of the increasing chaos.

Any major airport crash would shut Wellington down for days or weeks. Do it now!

E.F. Hill, Hastings

Leave it to the people

Every year leading up to the elections and during election time we get swamped with political polls.

This is a pointless exercise as it only takes a snap shot from about 1000 people. This surely is not an accurate survey of how people think when deciding who to vote for. Depending on which way it sways, this is just a process of media trying to sway people one way or the other.

Perhaps it’s better we don’t have these polls and let people decide for themselves and not by the media.

Trevor Tofts, Island Bay

Open up the Open

I think it is an excellent idea to introduce female professionals to the NZ Golf Open (NZ Golf’s token gesture, Feb 14).

After all ‘‘The Open’’ is a golf open, and by its name implies that it is open to all. The Wimbledon men’s singles would, by contrast, not be suitable for female competitors because of the sport’s title but that sport, thanks to the likes of Billie Jean King, has found sexual equality.

So, in additional, to making the NZ Golf Open more interesting. There is also the question of ‘‘is it fair’’? Golf cleverly borrowed the concept of the handicap from horse racing. Would that be appropriate in this case?

It may be the case. Tightening up the fairways certainly favours the shorter hitter but the stronger player can also get out of the rough easier.

Anyway, good on Michael Glading for this initiative, and to Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg for taking up the gauntlet. It’s made the sport more interesting and we will all have a better perspective afterwards. Maybe more female players next year? I think everyone would like to see certain NZ players tee off in the NZ ‘‘Open’’.

Appears Sweden aren’t just leading the world on climate change.

Tom Reid, Camborne

Concert’s for all

I have read many letters and heard many comments about the demise of the Concert programme. Those who listen to this station are called elitists and musical snobs, yet Concert is the most eclectic station on the air. It is not 100 per cent classical.

Anti-Concert programme comments are from a position of ignorance and prejudice from people who probably have never listened to the station.

Concert FM is an arts medium available to all, as is the art gallery and public library. All are paid for from public money. Are these to be scrapped because not everyone uses these facilities? The Government is saving the frequency, but has not guaranteed the same format. Are they going to eliminate the announcers and have it as a streaming type station? I have my suspicions.

Denis J Coulter, Christchurch