Letters: Get traffic lights working properly

PHOTO/FILE

Some time ago the roundabout at the junction of Yaldhurst Rd and State Highway 1 in Christchurch was abandoned in favour of traffic lights, and just recently the same action was taken at the very busy Riccarton Rd/Deans Ave junction. A few days before Christmas, with good phasing of the lights, I observed heavy peak hour traffic flowing very steadily.

Food for thought for fixing some of Rotorua's traffic problems! But first they need to improve the timing of the green phases of our traffic lights. Old Taupo Rd and Amohau St seem to be favoured with long runs even when there are lengthy gaps between vehicles using those roads - frustrating for drivers waiting in Malfroy Rd or Ranolf St.

Right turn filters either display green when no one wants to turn, or for only a short time before changing to yellow and red (allowing only a few vehicles to go and frustrating for those waiting to turn, especially if the road is clear). I believe the only junction where the filter lights go off allowing traffic to turn right if the way is clear is at Amohau/Ranolf and then only for Ranolf drivers wanting to turn into Amohau St.

Let's finally see some action in making our traffic lights work efficiently, then think about that Te Ngae/Tarawera roundabout.

RONALD MAYES
Rotorua

Re entering Pike River.

I would like to compliment AJ MacKenzie (Letters, January 26). What he writes is echoed by most people. Winston Peters should be absolutely ashamed for making this tragedy into a political stunt.

WALTER BATESON
Rotorua

Sickening rodeo

With due respect the Reader's Pic Rotorua Daily Post (January 21) of the Taupo Rodeo turned our stomachs and soured our day. It is a truly sad state of affairs when a day spent watching animals being terrorised is called a "Real Family Event".

M&J MARTESS
Rotorua

Make education free

We Kiwis are indeed a peculiar race! We start up a business investing heavily in factory, office, internet, advertising, banking etc yet the one most important thing - manpower - we spend not a penny on!

Many forward thinking countries in the world charge not a single cent to educate their children - the most important ingredient in any business. Yet here we expect the job market to be full of inspired, educated, qualified personnel who have been educated by their parents - folk who are struggling to pay rents or mortgages, rates and taxes most of which are cripplingly exorbitant and who have to pay to educate the most important product - workers! This does not make an awful lot of sense!

Education - including all aspects - must be free if we are to expect our country to prosper. As for uniforms - why not go the whole hog and arm them as well - parade ground and all that stuff?

JIM ADAMS
Rotorua