‘Wing-and-a-prayer’ planning not convincing constituent

Re: RiverLink project: I have discussed this project with Hutt City staff but still wish to express my views to awider audience.

I must ask how much thought has gone into the traffic nightmares that doing away with Daly St as themain arterial vehicle thoroughfare is going to bring, in my view, and the reduction in parking for CBD workers (which I estimate to be about 60%)?

I remain unconvinced that the planners have thought this through, and much is being done on awing and a prayer!

It seems the planners, in their wisdom, think the new Pharazyn St link is going to take the majority of the 3000 vehicles (or is it more?) using Daly St each day.

I believe that is woolly-headed thinking.

My guess is the majority of the vehicles are heading for Hutt City and environs, not State Highway 1 or the Western hills.

Given that, is it really a smart move to channel these onto the new Melling Interchange to access the Hutt?

I think not.

High St as a potential substitute is not going to work, as it has several traffic-light controlled intersections and too much business north of Laings

Rd to function as an arterial route.

Furthermore, if parking was going to be accommodated at the Southern end it would be too narrow.

If High St was the substitute and parking wasn’t going to be accommodated, then that’s the death knell for the few remaining retailers.

Queens Drive has the same issue.

Hutt City officers defer to the Greater Wellington Regional Council in respect to parking, advising that the riverbank needs to be widened to allow a greater flood plain and the GWRC does not want amajor car park there.

Is that the case, or would a car park blight the vision of a green river space (the vanity vision for the Hutt)?

What could be more conducive to facilitate car parking than a flat, open flood plain?

After all, if it rains, cars are mobile.

If theGWRC is hell-bent on this path, what is being planned to replace the lost parking?

Hutt City’s plan, it seems, is to reduce the need.

Is this really feasible? Do awaywith it and theywon’t come?

Most city centres have car parking buildings to compensate for the lack of on-street car parking.

Is there any provision for that? Not from what I have heard.

That’s one hell of a gamble and will require resources and funding to facilitate major public transport changes and potentially subsidised shuttle services.

I’m not sure that they have the financial resources.

I would be interested to know the facts, figures and assumptions theGWRC has used to underpin the new road infrastructure planned under this project.

John Sheehan