Mike Baker
Bethlehem
Giant leap backwards
What a giant leap backwards by canning the proposed cycleway trial on Marine Parade and yet another feasibility study to extend the boardwalk to the Oceanbeach Rd roundabout.
I certainly agree with extending the boardwalk, but it won't be suitable for cyclists, skate boarders and scooter riders.
In my view, a council has an obligation to be visionary and anyone living at the Mount can see the ever-increasing use of electric bikes, scooters and skateboards along Marine Parade and the risks the riders face.
Lack of parking (except for those people who insist upon being able to park their car right outside their favourite café) is a myth because there are always available car parks along Marine Parade.
I know because I ride my bike along there every day.
A council needs to lead and not be blinded by the don't-change-anything brigade, otherwise the very popular Baywave Swimming complex or Tauriko toll road would never have been built.
Dunedin built its covered stadium against the reported opposition of most ratepayers and look what a success it has been.
At the very least the council could extend the 30km/h speed limit right along Marine Parade.
John Douglas
Mount Maunganui
Rail is way of future
Tauranga City Council's ''most favoured outcome'' to close the Maleme St transfer station to the public is because of contaminants mostly from tyres and brakes of peoples' vehicles that use the recycling and garden waste areas pavements.
Logically, closing the Maleme St station will prevent this pollution but induce extra travelling to Te Maunga transfer station - thereby actually increasing and spreading contaminants. Excluded and unmentioned are many heavy trucks and contractors who will continue to use the Maleme facility.
Statistically, vehicle volumes on main arterial routes and heavily trafficked roads hugely exceed the transfer station numbers.
Applying the same logic for closing the Maleme St station, then all of Tauranga's densely trafficked roads and intersections, obviously more severely contaminated, should be shut down.
This is highly unlikely as it would paralyse the district. However, if to be used as a future selective council strategy to restrict or close roads, then alternative transportation choices and solutions need to be in place beforehand.
At Te Maunga exists a railhead, so is this a cunning future switch towards rail transportation which comparatively, slowly wears steel rails creating harmless iron oxide (rust) residue.
Iron is a plentiful, naturally occurring element.
Rail is low impact, the way of the future, and another step to halting destabilisation of the planet on which all life depends.
Jos Nagels
Tauranga
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