Letters to the editor: Tauranga Cyclists should be entitled to a rates rebate

Cyclists should get a rebate for not taking up space in parking facilities, a reader says. Photo/file

Cyclists should get rates rebate

Tauranga's growth spurt has placed great pressure on our roads and available parking, yet some of your recent correspondents describe some of us (cyclists) who are trying to do something about it as whingers who should pay registration and road user charge for our cycles.

I think that I am typical of the fast-growing number of cyclists commuting between Tauranga and Mount Maunganui in that I pay rates on several properties and registration on several cars.

I do not use either of the multi-million dollar ratepayer-funded car parks and will not be using the nine-storey parking building currently being built in Harrington St and
I do not take up precious waterfront land by parking my car on the Strand North carpark.

I do not hate cars. I love them and collect them but I am also a realist and accept that commuting to work by single occupant car is wasteful and more commuting by bus and cycling is inevitable.

Cars in the city should be for those with mobility problems or for ferrying children. I think that I should be entitled to a rates rebate for not using the car parking buildings, open air carparks and not contributing to traffic congestion.

Surely we will all benefit by making it easier and safer for cyclists.

John Douglas
Mount Maunganui

New museum option needed

I must take issue with the recent letter that combines the revenue from cruise ships with a need to provide entertainment for cruise ship passengers in the form of an expensive museum (Letters, June 25).

Firstly, next to nothing filters through to the local businesses from cruise ships. They are all off to Rotorua and Hobbiton.

On the museum, let's look at a cost which will meet budgets, have lower running costs and space for future growth of the museum. My choice is the vacated Gilmours warehouse building on Cameron Rd. It is adjacent to historic Gate Pā battleground, central, easy parking, large floor area for display and storage.

Perhaps even move the Art Gallery into the same location. And the price, much less than the government subsidy offered for the other museum locations. Time for a look?

Philip Brown
Pāpāmoa

Traffic frustration

I see that the traffic authorities have now closed Hairini St to Welcome Bay and Ohauiti Rd traffic, which is a good thing as on Friday a dangerous situation was created when traffic on Hairini Rd, frustrated at the stop sign, just tried to barge through onto SH29A traffic on the ramp causing a real danger of nose-to-tail accidents as traffic on SH29A had to come to a sudden stop.

A little further down, traffic on SH29A then had to accommodate merging traffic from the underpass. It was just too much in too short a distance for safety.

I think the authorities should abandon their plans for a bus lane down Hairini St and leave the street closed except for residential traffic, which should have to go to town by driving through the Welcome Bay roundabout and then through the underpass.

Any attempt to use Hairini street to join SH29A will just return to the dangerous situation of last Friday.

Alan Dickson
Maungatapu