Gisborne Herald letters to the editor : Lack of transparency with Grey St

The hopscotch area on Grey St. Photo / Gisborne Herald

The council, as an organisation, is doing its level best to stifle the widespread criticism of the Grey Street – Streets for People Project by not releasing the report on it until after the new council is elected.

A classic case of keeping everyone in the dark – and worse that it’s in an election year. Simply not the open, transparent governance that we expect.

It’s timely, too, that we should reflect on all the well-publicised criticisms of the project. Brevity prevents me from going into repetitive mode. However, I add two.

Gisborne residents were told one of the big pluses of the project was that it was all about safety for cyclists using Grey Street and going to the skatepark. Yeah, right – spot the cycle stands in or around the park. Where is the incentive for such two-wheel travel?

The other relates to cyclists coming along Grey Street from the beach end.

No fancy lanes there and a nerve-racking right-hand wheel across two lanes of traffic if the rider is heading to the skatepark.

Finally, lest the council tries to crayfish its way out of responsibility for this mess by saying it wasn’t a council project and it was all on NZTA, then let us note:

The council’s press release of April 11, 2024 spells out the “council is in partnership with Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust (TAT), which is delivering the project, supported financially by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi [NZTA] through their Streets for People programme”, while 10% of the cost was funded by the council.

The council, on November 6, 2024, resolved to make a change to the then up-and-running project by approving the installation of a “T” intersection at the junction of Grey and Kahutia Streets to address safety issues.

Gordon Webb

Gisborne

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