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Keep angle parking
David Thew, Red Beach (abridged)
The suggestion of changing Silverdale parking from 90 degree to parallel parking (HM September 5) makes me wonder – is the council going mad? Why would you narrow lower Silverdale Street and change to inefficient parallel parking? The main Silverdale Village angle parking is the best parking in Rodney as the road is wide, making it super easy and very safe to back out. To change to parallel parking will result in at least a 75 percent loss of parking spaces. The footpaths are wide enough as they are and the Centre medium strip is handy for large trucks that want to buy lunch.
Auckland Council Manager Planning – North, West and Islands, Warren MacLennan, responds: The Silverdale Heritage Led Character Design Guidelines is a non-statutory document that supports the principles of heritage-led development along Silverdale Street. The aim is to provide parameters for anyone designing and building in the Silverdale Village. Part of the guidelines look at the streetscape and how it can be enhanced as the area grows. This could be widening footpaths, re-orientating parking and providing parking at the rear of buildings, but the guidelines do not recommend reducing overall parking levels in Silverdale. The focus is on reconfiguring parking if and when development occurs, with a priority on improving safety.
Drivers the problem
Ian Read, Stillwater
I read with interest the item on the road safety campaign (HM September 5). But unfortunately, it failed in the one area that gives clarity on the graph for Hibiscus and Bays deaths. No data. Percentages mean nothing if there is no data. So it would be good to see the data from which the graph is derived.
However, I will say, with 20 years driving in Rodney, the main issue is not the roads but purely the bad habits of too many motorists. Recently, I made an appeal to Auckland Transport to make the compulsory stop sign at the Spur Road/East Coast Road intersection more obvious to impress upon drivers to actually stop before proceeding. I have witnessed a number of close calls including truck drivers who just carry on through as it would seem so do many Stillwater residents. The response was they were satisfied with the signage. One pole and the yellow line. That does not impress me. The other issue continually experienced both on the road into Stillwater and on East Coast road are the poor decisions with regard to overtaking. That there are not more incidents is down to pure luck.
Editor’s note: We obtained that data from Auckland Transport, and forward it to Ian.
Lights not needed
Christine McClintock, Little Manly
I was interested in Mr Karma’s comments recording that the high risk Silverdale St/Tavern Rd/Hibiscus Coast Highway intersection had dropped in ranking (of high risk) from 14 in 2014 to 60 in 2016 (HM September 5). Why then, are there discussions about installing lights at this particular intersection? In the interest of road safety, there should be no right turn from Hibiscus Highway into Tavern Road. Instead those vehicles wanting to access the Tavern Road area should turn right at the East Coast Road controlled intersection. Do NZ Transport decision makers ever sit in the morning traffic on the Coast? There are already three sets of lights along Hibiscus Coast Highway (excluding Whangaparaoa Road lights) before you hit the motorway. We do not need another set of lights to add further frustrations and delays in peak hour travel. Please utilise common sense.
Cat conversation
Tanya Morpeth, Gulf Harbour
The efforts of the local Forest & Bird volunteers are to be applauded (HM September 5). However, the elephant in the room, if you like, is cats. Will they be next on the list once we have less rodents and other pests around? That is going to be a very interesting conversation indeed, and one that several communities around New Zealand are currently having. I love birds but they are not companion animals, which are treasured members of many households.
Editor’s note: See the Environment column, this issue!
Mental health help
Jessica Franklin, Swann Beach
Enjoyed reading about Mike King and his message to students at Whangaparaoa College (HM August 15). I have had nieces and a nephew at that college and I know how hard the staff work, as well as CYC, to help and support their students – particularly those with special needs. Getting Mike King in was a good example of that. I hope the parents appreciate all that work that goes on to help all the students thrive.
Robert Kelly, Waiwera
Since the new footpath was installed more than a year ago, the reserve on the Waiwera waterfront has been severely affected by flooding. The drains that used to take the surplus water away have not been working, and consequently instead of a beautiful reserve we have a mud bath. Also the present contractors use a heavy tractor to do the mowing, and the result is not only an eyesore, but a hazard for people trying to use the reserve. The ruts are deep and if the field ever dries out, they are a hazard to negotiate.
Auckland Council Head of Operational Management and Maintenance Agnes McCormack responds: “Due to an exceptionally wet end to our winter, Auckland’s parks and reserves are more waterlogged than usual for this time of year. The damage to Waiwera Reserve has been caused by an Auckland Council contractor undertaking routine mowing without taking this into account. We have informed the contractor involved that such damage is not acceptable and steps are underway to repair the damage caused. This has always been a rather boggy site. Full sub-soil drainage works were carried out in the early 2000s, which worked well until now. Given that drainage issues at the site have re-emerged, we will be reviewing the drainage infrastructure currently in place to see if any improvements can be made.”
