Brickbat for deputy mayor

Deputy Mayor Geoff Taylor purports to speak for ‘the community’ in his dismissal of street name changes (letters, Saturday June 4), and has also previously claimed to speak on our behalf in rejecting improved bus systems (although no other councillors agreed with him) and very vocally rejecting the Innovating Streets projects in Ward and Rostrevor Sts, designed to make life safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Given that government policy is focused on righting the wrongs inflicted on Maori, and on transitioning to more climate-friendly transport in the form of walking, cycling, and the use of buses and trains, Mr Taylor seems to be speaking for a minority, and in opposition to both his fellow councillors and central government.

Claiming that street name changes will be enormously expensive for businesses is somewhat disingenuous in the digital age. Almost all communication with clients is undertaken online, and changing an address line on an invoice, letterhead, website or Facebook page is very simple. Even changing the details in the banking system isn’t difficult. The main physical change would be in altering the numbers on the letterbox or the building facade, if either of those apply. And street name changes in Hamilton aren’t new, except that the one I lived through went in the other direction. The Hinemoa St I grew up in became Tristram St overnight when I was a teenager. There was no apparent disaster for the businesses in the area. Maybe we could change it back. It was a much nicer name.

J McDonald, Hamilton