Gisborne Herald letters: Crossing points, slash removal, public housing, good ideas

One of four new raised crossings around the roundabout at the Derby St, Palmerston Rd intersection. Photo / Paul Rickard

Letters to the Editor

Our new preferred crossing points

“Mode-shifting” seems to be all the rage; cars bad - biking and walking good!

Certainly, in Gisborne, more consideration is being given to pedestrians, with a proliferation of raised red-coloured crossings which are claimed to be safer than the traditional white-striped “zebra”-crossings, like the one at Ballance St Village.

Although the law gave priority to pedestrians (over motorists) on these latter crossings, the theory (apparently substantiated by statistics) suggests that this engenders over-confidence in pedestrians, in the face of intransigence among motorists.

So, the remedy comprises a raised crossing, to increase pedestrian visibility and slow traffic.

The red colour is presumably intended to indicate that this is a preferred crossing point (to anyone who is in any doubt about it); it does not confer any right of precedence.

Or should it be painted white, like the new flush-level one across Grey St near the Childers Rd junction? And while we’re on the subject of colours, I thought that blue-painted areas indicated disabled-parking spots. Apparently not exclusively; witness the wavy lentiform regions that have appeared near the Kahutia St junction).

What’s next; sky-blue-pink crossings to mark the recent solar outburst and consequent aurorae? Perhaps there should be yellow ones for diffident pedestrians, or green ones for committed car-haters; we already have a rainbow one, so why not?

If the “new black and white” is red, then that should become the standard and the authorities should stick to it.

Peter Wooding

Timely slash removal

Re: Deadly slash fears, May 16 story.

None of this is rocket science. I refer to John Wells’ letter on April 6, 2024 – Flood mitigation versus buyouts.

Why does the patently obvious always get overlooked?

As a riverbank resident, I would like to have confirmation on comments made that a “number of offers” to remove this slash during Cyclone Gabrielle were turned down. If so, by who and why?

I know this type of removal was done previously during the height of those weather events.

The way it was finally removed, with tethered chainsaw contractors and Hiabs, hardly looked overly safe.

Peter Millar

Put forward good ideas

Re: Grey St “opportunity” futile, May 15 letter.

You would think by reading the opinion section that Gisborne hated the Grey Street development, which is 90 per cent funded by central government and is run by local volunteers who specialise in transport projects, have delivered community projects worth millions and have canvassed public opinion for the development.

Now, let’s have a look at the many responses where the writer is outraged... ah, about three very regular contributors!

One is generously given space in the paper every other day to say the same thing over and over. The other frequently cites conspiracy theories. The horror we should be able to cycle safely.

Is this opinion section representing the views of the community, or just a toxic platform for a few angry people to vent? It feels like the latter.

To those who continually bash projects in Gisborne, I have a wero for you, a challenge. Put forward some good ideas to make our city better.

You seem to have plenty of opinions – put them to good use.

Jack Marshall

Seemingly unfounded reckons

Re: All Kiwis deserve a place to lay their head, May 15 letter.

Did you talk to any of them?

If not, how could you tell they were scared, given the windows were fogged up?

If not, how do you know they weren’t out (like yourself) to see the aurora?

If not, how do you know they weren’t out trying to enjoy a foggy-windowed romantic evening?

If not, how do you know (through foggy windows) they weren’t scared, but nervous about being happened upon while undertaking any number of car-based nefarious activities?

I’m not saying there aren’t homeless people sleeping in cars in Gisborne, but these seemingly unfounded, unscientific reckons do nobody any favours and I suspect they are presented in this way to signal the unearned virtue of the author, as per usual.

PS, how many of them took up your offer of a bed at your place for the night?

Richard Whitley

Homes being built

Re: All Kiwis deserve a place to lay their head, May 15 letter.

It is an issue (a worldwide one!) but there are homes being built, which is awesome.

The Kāinga Ora website details all the homes planned and being built in Gisborne.

This is from the website: “With the strong demand for public housing in Gisborne, we have a large build programme under way. There are 270 new public homes in the pipeline; 190 are now in progress. These are homes that are currently in construction, contracted to buy off a developer once they are completed or where we are obtaining contractors to work on the development.”

So there is hope and things are happening... which is much better than lots of people talking about things happening but nothing actually happening!

Tanya Hawthorne