Whanganui letters: Highway speed limits a case of pot/kettle?

State Highway 4 Parapara has been subject to temporary speed restrictions for long periods. Photo / Bevan Conley

I read with interest the story "Walking the Line" (Chronicle, October 24), which reported on the criticism levelled at KiwiRail in a letter sent by the director of land transport at Waka Kotahi, the chief executive of WorkSafe and the chief executive of Maritime NZ.

It said: "The regulators charged that KiwiRail had accepted that temporary risk mitigations, such as speed reductions, would be in place indefinitely. Temporary mitigations cannot compensate for a lack of correct engineering practice, and recent derailments show that this risk mitigation strategy is not suitable or effective".

The letter also said: "The concern here is that poor organisational safety culture is allowing services to operate with infrastructure that does not meet acceptable standards". They go on to say "Waka Kotahi had concerns with the application of temporary speed restrictions rather than prioritising the resolution of the faults on the rail network".

If that's not calling the kettle black, then I don't know what it is.

How long has Whanganui's Parapara highway been subject to temporary speed limits in place while the highway has been reduced to single lanes for years at a time?

Worse than that though is permanently lowering speed limits on the open road until they are brought up to standard.

Recently, Waka Kotahi started consultation on their plan to introduce an 80km/h speed limit on SH56 south of Longburn. This is a road they have spent millions on, improving its safety by improving corners to 100km/h standards and installing safety barriers beside the deep drains running parallel to the highway.

If a straight section of highway like that is going to become an 80km/h speed zone, what will become of SH3 between Whanganui and Palmerston North?

R McLEAY
Whanganui

Three Waters debate

The Government says not going ahead with Three Waters will cost ratepayers thousands of dollars, as councils have to deal with faulty water pipes and infrastructure.

Now we are being told by many mayors and opposition parties that ratepayers will be saving money by not going with Three Waters.

So who is right? If Three Waters will keep my rates down, as Government will cover costs, then I am all for it. I am also aware that expertise would then be spread out over all councils.

It is known that in Whanganui that our water pipes and infrastructure are in need of repair or replacement. Perhaps Mayor Andrew Tripe can explain how this will be achieved without a substantial increase in our rates

KEN CARVELL
Whanganui

Summer Programme still on

Anyone alarmed by the absence of the Whanganui Summer Programme from the summer events calendar (Chronicle, October 22) can rest easy — the WSP will be on as usual in 2023, as it has been for nearly 40 years.

Running from January 4-31, the programme will have a number of new trips along with revived trips and old favourites. A pamphlet with trip details will be distributed with the Chronicle on November 17 after which bookings will open.

DAVID SCOULLAR
Whanganui Summer Programme