Power of the people could seal bridge's fate

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

The rows and rows of cars, piled up, parked anywhere and everywhere told a story.

No, the All Blacks weren't in Wanganui on Monday night - not even Lorde. The Wakefield St bridge was the biggest ticket in town.

Just like the roads, car parks and grass verges outside, the Wanganui East club was chocka inside.

The temperature was rising and it was hard to get to the bar for a drink with 400-plus people packed in. There was the sense of a quietly seething anger about Wanganui council's proposal to close the bridge rather than spend $1.8 million over the next few years fixing it up.

Being outnumbered didn't faze mayor Annette Main, who dealt with the massed critics in a fair and businesslike manner. And the crowd stayed calm and reasonable as they made their case for why the bridge should stay open.

As the mayor said: Of course the money to replace the bridge can be found - it's all about balancing the needs and wants of the community.

The bridge would not be in such dire straits if heavy trucks were kept off it and if cars crossed it at the 30km/h speed they are supposed to. That is what should happen, but it doesn't. So where is the enforcement?

There seems to be a general shrugging of shoulders at the law being broken. Perhaps when council sits down to decide the bridge's fate, the police might be asked along to talk about what is being done, or what can be done.

The message from the meeting was that a lot of people use the bridge, and closing it will send extra traffic along alternate routes and most likely cause problems there.

There were a number of councillors present, and they won't have mistaken the strength of feeling. It would be no surprise if the bridge gets a reprieve.