Right is wrong at Pioneer shopping centre
Right-hand turns out of a busy shopping centre on Palmerston North’s Pioneer Highway will be stopped when traffic lights are installed at a new cycle and pedestrian crossing.
The city council has agreed to put in the signalised crossing to allow cyclists and pedestrians to safely cross the four-lane road to the extension of the shared pathway across the road.
Plans for the crossing from the shopping centre opposite the end of Burns Ave will allow a right-hand turn into the car park, but not out.
Several city councillors at Wednesday’s economic growth committee meeting wanted the plans redesigned so the right turn out option could be retained.
Cr William Wood said three major businesses in the shopping centre did not want the option stopped. They feared it would make shopping at the centre less convenient for people leaving to continue into the central city.
Up to 500 vehicles a day left the car park and turned right.
He said the council should listen to those who “lived and breathed” that car park.
Cr Mark Arnott said the change would be unnecessarily upsetting.
“Turnover will be affected, and that’s avoidable.”
But the call to keep the right turn option was voted down 7-8.
The majority vote was to axe the manoeuvre in the interests of safety.
Acting group manager for transport and development Bryce Hosking said there had been 84 crashes outside the shopping centre in 10 years, and two that were serious.
Most happened when people were turning right, crossing two lanes of traffic and trying to merge with one of the two lanes on the other side of the central median.
Cr Lew Findlay said he had seen so many close calls there that he would never try it himself. Cr Lorna Johnson said she thought safety should take priority over any other concerns.
She was not convinced about retailers’ perceptions that they would lose business, when there was a simple alternative for motorists to use – the West St exit.
Cr Brent Barrett said thousands of vehicles drove past the shopping centre each day, and it was important that their safety and convenience passing the car park exit was also considered.
The councillors who held against the majority decision to get rid of the turn were Leonie Hapeta, Mark Arnott, Roly Fitzgerald and Billy Meehan, while Vaughan Dennison abstained.
The committee’s recommendation still has to be approved by the full council.