Plans for St Heliers

Auckland City Council has lost control of Auckland Transport. These are huge business units, and they don’t even understand the basics of business in that you should always listen to what the customer’s wants and needs are.

So here we have AT, upsetting Ports of Auckland, Customhouse Quay to one lane, 30km/h etc. The poor small business owners in Albert St, not even given a rates relief, and then we come to AT’s plans for St Heliers, where we live, that, if implemented, will destroy this little village.

We already have to suffer bus stops outside our top restaurants, which wouldn’t be allowed anywhere in the world. We have so many buses, parking all over the place, coming through the narrow side streets, hitting many cars.

My wife says you’re wasting time writing about this, nothing will be done to stop these plans from happening. We need a mayor that has overall control of these decisions. I get the feeling that if the Tamihere and Fletcher team target this sort of behaviour, then they will bolt in when we vote later in the year. Bring it on. Clint Hartley, St Heliers.

AT’s CEO, Shane Ellison, completely misses the point in his letter to the Herald.

He can waffle on as much as he likes about AT presentations to this group, that group and any other group who cares to listen.

It was because of these presentations — or dictatorials — that a public meeting of residents and business owners was called. At that meeting which he and his staff — in spite of being asked — chose not to attend, 99 per cent of over 600 people voted against AT’s ridiculous safety plans.

His letter reinforces his arrogance — or is it ignorance? Come on Shane, listen to the people who pay your salary.

Dennis Ross, St Heliers.