Shedding light on well-used path
The Railway Reserve is one of Nelson’s most-used thoroughfares, but navigating the unlit corridor outside of daylight hours can be dangerous.
‘‘People get a lot of speed up coming down there; and visibility is very limited,’’ said Ange Palmer.
Palmer is one of a group from transport strategy group Nelsust petitioning Nelson City Council (NCC) to install solar lighting up the Railway Reserve between Victory Community Centre and Beatson Rd, in Nelson South.
Joined by other campaigners, Palmer has been standing outside Victory Community Centre at sunrise and sunset, gathering signatures and chatting with commuters, dog walkers and students. Other campaigners are stationed at the Beatson Rd end.
The fact the reserve was so well-used, even at the darkest point of the year, highlighted the need for lighting, she said.
‘‘One cyclist said when he was cycling in the dark and the rain he felt it was dangerous, because a lot of pedestrians don’t have lights.’’
Lighting the reserve would make the route safer, giving more people the option to leave their car at home, she said.
With the reserve’s future in the balance while options around the Nelson Future Access project are investigated, Palmer knew lighting would be some way off.
But in the meantime, standing on the dark reserve with bamboo torches had highlighted how popular the thoroughfare was, Palmer said.
‘‘The reserve gets so much use, from a huge cross section of the community. Children, youth, elderly people, commuters, skateboarders, couples being romantic, former refugees, dog walkers: it’s a hugely important recreational and commuter route, and a nature reserve and corridor. I feel strongly it’s not seen for how important it is.’’
NCC group manager of infrastructure Alec Louverdis said some work had been done to identify lighting options, but more consultation was needed.
However, that won’t be happening any time soon, he added.
‘‘Given the strong link between the section of Railway Reserve between the Victory Centre and Beatson Rd and the Nelson Future Access Study, it makes sense to wait till we have more certainty about the future use of the area before committing to any lighting upgrade.’’
You can add your voice to the petition on Action Station, or sign at Elma Turner Library and Victory Community Centre.