Time to work much harder to make active transport much easier
I APPLAUD James Irwin and
Richard O’Mahony for their letters in support of cheaper public transport.
I totally agree with their arguments that it will become a nobrainer for commuters to take the bus rather than driving their car into town if fares were reduced.
I would be happy to pay higher rates so that buses could be made more affordable for everyone.
I sometimes take the bus but prefer to bike everywhere and it is great to see more and more cyclists commuting into the city, either on the cycle lanes or on roads sharing with cars. It is cool to cycle along Portsmouth Dr and uncool to see so many individuals driving their cars into town.
I would love to find out what would make it easier for motorists to change their habit and cycle, walk or take the bus to work or wherever they go.
Research has shown that commuting by active transport increases fitness and happiness while decreasing costs and stress, so why not change?
Motorists, please be patient when you drive behind a cyclist. Only overtake us when it is safe and you can give us 1.50m, otherwise it is very scary for cyclists to be passed so closely.
I would like to think that separate cycle lanes will become a thing of the past when all road users share the road equally.
Heike CebullaElder
Musselburgh
Local elections
AARON Hawkins was elected Dunedin mayor as more people voted for him than any other candidate. This is democracy and how it should be.
It is ironic however, that he and the other sitting councillors stood for council also, just in case they lost the mayoral race.
Lee Vandervis was one of those who had a foot in both camps, and although he missed out on becoming mayor, the votes he received for a council position were twice that of Christine Garey.
Hawkins ignored this when he appointed Garey as deputy mayor, and this is not democracy as it should be. No chair of any committee for Vandervis as well.
It is obviously personal by Hawkins and not what the majority of the voting public wanted. It does not matter if Vandervis has opposing views on council operations, doesn’t share the climate change scaremongering or anything else, as he represents us as the most wanted councillor.
We now appear to have a majority of greenleaning councillors and this was reflected in those chosen to chair the various committees.
Bad luck, Lee Vandervis, but you are still No 1.
Ross Davidson
Wakari ...................................
BIBLE READING: Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. — Isaiah 26.4.