Speed reduction celebrated in Methven
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The Methven community will be celebrating a win with Waka Kotahi set to reduce the speed in the northern entrance to the town.
The speed reduction, and other proposed safety improvements along State Highway 77, were reported to the Methven Community Board by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency regional senior safety engineer James Long this week.
Lowering the speed past Ōpuke hot pools has been hot on the community’s agenda, pushing for a reduction from 100kph along the stretch of SH77 on the northern entrance to the township.
Waka Kotahi consulted on a reduction to 80kph, which was “unsurprisingly” deemed inappropriate in the feedback, Long said.
It has instead resulted in a reduction to 60kph, but he was unable to confirm when it would be changed.
Deputy mayor and Methven resident Liz McMillan is delighted at the decision.
“I walk along that area often and see how much the new footpath is used and when the speed is finally reduced to 60km it will be so much safer and a big win for our community."
Long also covered the school variable speed zones and possible improvements to the pedestrian crossing and the SH77/Forest Drive/Methven-Chertsey Rd intersection.
McMillan and school principals had met with Long at the pedestrian crossing that services all three schools in the town earlier this year to discuss safety issues.
The result will be the removal of some car parks to increase visibility as well as a recommendation to raise the crossing, which reduces speeds to avoid a “catastrophic outcome”, Long said.
The pedestrian crossing will also benefit from a variable 30kph speed zone that will be introduced in the next 12 months.
The speed will reduce to 30kph, from 50kph, for a small period at the start and end of the school day, with the zone stretching from around Dolma St to just north of the pedestrian crossing, Long said.
The other area being considered for safety improvements in the future is the town’s main intersection.
Rather than the current cross roads, it will be recommended a small roundabout may function better, Long said. A potential new pedestrian crossing in the centre of town is also being proposed.
The roundabout and pedestrian crossing have been added to the list to be considered for the next National Land Transport Programme.
Methven Community Board member Richie Owen supported looking at the safety initiatives as the increasing road usage as the town develops means some of the road layouts may be out of date.
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
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48.3% Yes
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49.8% No
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2% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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