Opinion: Stop gambling with children's lives in Inglewood

New Plymouth District councillor Marie Pearce has started a petition asking for a new pedestrian crossing in Inglewood.

Opinion

Stop gambling with our kids' lives, a new pedestrian crossing is needed on State Highway 3 in Inglewood.

Let's talk about Inglewood's gambling problem and why crossing the main road feels like you're playing Russian roulette.

When walking to school or the dairy becomes running the dangerous gauntlet of traffic on State Highway 3, it's time for an intervention with the national road authority in Wellington.

In my opinion, the failure of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (which is in charge of all state highways across New Zealand) to deliver any significant safety improvements on Inglewood's main road has been forcing people to play a game of chance for way too long now, especially on the west side of the town. That's why I've organised a petition demanding a pedestrian crossing with lights north of the purple dairy.

Traffic along SH3 through Inglewood has almost doubled in the last decade (according to trafficcounts.co.nz) from about 11,000 vehicles a day in 2011 to about 20,000 now, including around 1100 trucks and the heavy juggernauts that rumble through with loads of logs to the port.

The traffic is carving our town in two, with new homes going up on one side of the highway and two schools on the other.

Almost anyone who lives or works in Inglewood has a story of a near miss, whether it's someone on a mobility scooter, a young mum pushing a pram or kids on bikes. Even the most safety-conscious can't avoid the lack of visibility.

Inglewood is a great place to live. It's close to New Plymouth and the airport with excellent schools, businesses and medical services, attracting a wide range of new residents.

The big problem is navigating SH3.

At least two generations of Inglewood people have been calling for safety measures such as a 30km/h zone in the town centre or finding an alternative for the logging trucks but NZTA keeps the handbrake firmly on anything that might make a difference.

Three years of talk on a safer highway promotion stalled late last year with the agency saying it had no funding.

The only safe bet now is that there's an accident waiting to happen and the odds are especially high for our kids and the elderly.

Inglewood people need to step up and demand action before this ends in tragedy. Sign the petition today at the Inglewood library or Fun Ho! Toys. Or do it online: http://chng.it/HJjX7L2trK
Add your name to make our town heard at NZTA head office in Wellington.

New Plymouth district councillor Marie Pearce