Letters: Ratepayers need Pyes Pa decision now

The transportation manager for Tauranga City Council says (News, August 21) that the decision to lower the speed limit of 60km/h on Pyes Pa Rd will be considered in a city-wide review that has "stalled".

Anyone can see that a road that was once a country road leading out of the city towards Rotorua is now a congested urban road passing through a densely populated housing area.

Why should there be a "huge amount of work involved" to make such a simple decision?

Ratepayers need this decision now, while pedestrians and drivers wait in fear and trepidation trying to decide when it is safe to enter or cross this stretch of highway, risking life and limb. (Abridged)

Robert Shaw
Pyes Pa

Now at long last, we are seeing representations from the community, and not just older citizens, calling for a reduction in the speed limit in the interest of safety.

Roads in Papamoa and Pyes Pa have been identified, but must surely be only the start. Unfortunately, with state highways and expressways making up a part of our roading network, mindless driving in restricted areas has now become the norm, never mind impatience and lack of courtesy on our roads.

Given our increased traffic volumes, council, where they have discretion, should be considering the wholesale reduction of the speed limit throughout and without consultation.

An achievable working relationship with NZTA might help.

A good example was the reduction of the speed restriction on Cambridge Rd from 80km/h to 60 km/h overnight. It was policed for a time and seemed to work.

Vic Sterling
The Lakes

If the council can afford to build a safe access track to Omanawa Falls (News, August 21), they can afford to fix the Mount base track.

As usual, the council's priorities, in my view, are awry.

Chris Brown
Tauranga

Thank you, Tommy Wilson, for your million words of wit and compassion, bringing our Maori and Pakeha worlds so much closer together.

Peter Otway
Omokoroa
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