Letters: How hard is it to keep left on Whanganui’s shared pathways?

People need to keep left on Whanganui's shared pathways, writes Russell Eades.

The city has had a good deal of investment into our shared pathways network, but as is the case more often than not, the journey around the river on the shared pathway is not without its dramas.

Most of these pathways have signs marked on them with clear instructions to keep left.

I was following the path along the river and down toward town this week and went around a slight left-hand bend, with growth from a tree blocking the vision, and almost knocked over an older lady who obviously could not read the signs she had just walked over in a minute or so before I came along.

They are quite large signs that even those with Magoo-type vision could still see quite easily.

They are starting to wear out in some places, but quite frankly there are not enough of them. I only need about a third of the width to get past other users coming the other way, but their conversations seem to be just a bit too important to stop for even a few seconds and allow other users to pass.

What is the expectation for users of these shared pathways?

Fortunately, the Land Transport (Road User) Rules 2004 – section 11.1A Use of Shared Path, gives some guidance. In simple terms this says, if there is a sign or marking on the path, then those instructions apply. Keep left – how hard can that be?

It appears that there are and will be more cycles in use, and that’s a good thing.

As the population increases it will only make things worse. Will it take an elderly person being hospitalised before somebody takes these things a bit more seriously? Maybe somebody from the police can enlighten us on what happens when something goes wrong on our shared pathways?

RUSSELL EADES

Whanganui

User pays

So reading the front page of the Chronicle on Saturday we are told that kerbside recycling is hoped to begin later in the year and the estimated cost for that is $134.16 per year then I read further along that the food waste cost is also estimated at $60.84.

Am I then correct in assuming that when the food waste recycling kicks in on July 1, 2024, the combined cost estimated cost could be a $195.00 rate increase per rateable property?

This is without the annual council rate increase still to be announced in a few months’ time.

All this extra cost is of course on top of the cost you are still going to have to pay to have your general rubbish collected.

It will be interesting to see what the three rubbish collection firms will charge for a fortnightly collection as opposed to weekly.

Oh, when did you last see estimated costs go down in price? For me never

Again I repeat - let those that want kerbside recycling sign up for it, but don’t make it compulsory for everyone. It’s just not a fair playing field as there will be lots of folks out there that will be forced to pay for a service they never use.

GRAHAM HAWTREE

Whanganui