Letters: Welcome Bay congestion needs to be sorted

Recently several letters have been published highlighting that for motorists in Welcome Bay the early morning traffic delays have not been improved since the tunnel was opened.

The problem concerns the safety of cyclists proceeding in the cycle lane from Welcome Bay Rd to the tunnel underpass in direct conflict with left-turning traffic to State Highway 29a, Harini and Ohauiti Rd.

This connecting road has now been blocked. It is extraordinary that planners did not take this situation into account which now presents problems for the council, motorists and cyclists alike.

Solutions need to be found such as a simple barrier where cyclists need to dismount, check for left turning traffic, before proceeding to the tunnel cycleway.

A pedestrian crossing can easily be created for this purpose. A more expensive solution would be to construct an underpass or overpass for cyclist's use.

The sooner a solution can be implemented the better as Welcome Bay motorists have been inconvenienced enough. (Abridged)

Dr Meg Butler
Welcome Bay

Treaty of Waitangi

D J Bennett (Letters, March 16) maintains that the Treaty of Waitangi is not the concern of local government, and he objects to the city council transferring the title of 11 Mission St to a local Maori Tribal Trust.

However, The Treaty of Waitangi Act requires all levels of government, including local government, to treat Maori with goodwill.

Transferring 11 Mission St to a Maori Trust is a gesture of goodwill that recognises the losses suffered by local Maori from Pakeha politicians over many years.

Maori have shown goodwill themselves by refusing to be bitter and have continued to enrich our wider community in many ways with their good humour and their huge talents.

In my view councillors who supported the decision to transfer land to the Maori Trust have shown genuine wisdom.

Peter Dey
Welcome Bay
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