Reduced speed preferred over barriers
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
A 60kph speed limit has been proposed on State Highway 1, between Pegasus and Waikuku, in preference to wire rope barriers.
The Waimakariri District Council has agreed to back a request from local residents for a speed reduction, as part of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Woodend safety improvements.
The request followed a meeting last week with Pegasus and Waikuku residents and Waka Kotahi director of regional relationships James Caygill.
Waka Kotahi had proposed installing a wire rope barrier, known as ‘‘a cheese grater’’, on the 1.5km stretch of road between Pegasus and Waikuku, which has an 80kph speed limit, as part of the proposed safety improvements.
‘‘The feedback we received at the meeting was that people are not in favour of wire rope barriers on that stretch of road,’’ Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said.
‘‘The residents suggested a reduction of speed and asked if that would negate the need for wire rope barriers.’’
Residents said the wire rope barrier would cause inconvenience as it would prevent them from turning and restrict access to their properties.
Gordon was drafting a letter in support of the request, with input from his fellow councillors and Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell.
He said similar concerns had been raised by residents and business owners located between Woodend and Pine Acres, Kaiapoi, to the south.
‘‘Ultimately what will make a difference is a [Woodend] bypass.’’
Caygill said the meeting was a good chance to hear the specific concerns of concerned residents.
He said several issues were raised, including power pole positions, driveway access points, speed and the necessity of the wire rope barrier.
‘‘Their concerns are being fed back to the project team as we continue work on the design for SH1 Saltwater Creek to Cam River.’’
Robbie Brine said he had attended 11 road deaths on SH1 between Smith St, Kaiapoi, and Saltwater Creek, north of the Ashley River, in his capacity as a police officer.
‘‘I don’t like the cheese graters. They may save lives, but with the aesthetics and the inconvenience they cause, it’s just not worth it.’’
He said reducing the speed limit would add only ‘‘a few seconds to a car journey’’, while saving lives.
Deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said he was opposed to both options.
‘‘We’re not going to solve it with a band aid. We need to find a real solution.’’
Waimakariri District Council roading manager Joanne McBride said it would be difficult to enforce a 60kph speed limit as the 1.5km
stretch of road was through a rural area.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Check out the drive-in movie event at Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park Saturday 18 January
Looking for a fun activity to enjoy with your whānau?
? Check out the drive-in (or walk-in) movie event at Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park on Saturday 18 January.
2 PM — Minions: The Rise of Gru
6 PM — The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
? $20 per car, $5 per pedestrian or cyclist for each movie.
Please note: There will be no gate sales.
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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63.1% Summer
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35.6% Winter
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1.3% Other - I'll share below
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