Selwyn Times: August 22, 2017

8 Tuesday August 22 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
SELWYN TIMES
Your Local Views
Readers respond to the
Selwyn Times’ article on
the water meeting held
recently:
ews
the Hills to the Sea, published in
Jan and John Zervos –
Revisit the book Selwyn From
1997 by the Ellesmere Camera
Club with the backing of the
district council. We are now
2017, 20 years exactly have
passed.
The book makes one aware
of the massive acceleration of
damage to our waterways since
ashion
its publishing. Dairying and
unbridled growth in what were
until very recently small country
towns are the main driving
forces. Interestingly the book
also gives an insight to a possible
agenda for certain business
conglomerates to be in favour
of Lake Ellesmere/Te Waihora
complete demise, opening it up
Gardening
for another use.
The air in Lincoln tonight
reeked of what smelled like raw
sewage. It’s really a question
of whether we continue our
complicity with a system
obsessed with computer models,
data collecting and forever
talking in circles at meetings
which are all really just delaying
otoring
actions, or do we not?
Readers respond to
the article on Selwyn
having some of the most
dangerous intersections in
New Zealand:
Chris Bartram – As a
resident of Jones Rd, whose
property has been damaged by
cars twice in the last six months,
and also a keen cyclist – the fix
for cutting the accident rate on
this quite narrow access road is
simple. Lower the speed limit
to 80km/h which will get the
trucks and rat runners off this
stretch of road and onto the
Main South Rd (50m away).
Paul Houston –
In regards to the article
on the Shands Rd-Blakes Rd
intersection. I turn right from
Blakes to Shands Rd heading
east every morning. This
is an extremely dangerous
intersection, getting worse
with the traffic coming in from
Lincoln. This will get worse
again with the new interchange
under construction, with even
more traffic wanting to turn
right from Blakes onto Shands,
trying to access the interchange.
Suggestions are:
To make Blakes Rd an
underpass under Shands Rd, and
to swing around, merging back
on to Shands Rd. Roundabout
traffic lights.
I see that the north end
of Blakes Rd becoming a
cul-de-sac will have minimal
impact on traffic turning right
onto Shands. This road has only
got busier and I have witnessed
a number of accidents on this
corner. As mentioned in your
article, there have already been
fatalities at this intersection.
When there is a queue of six
to eight cars in the morning
wanting to turn right on to
Shands Rd, some cars will turn
left, go down Shands Rd, then
do a U-turn, which doesn’t help
the people turning right. I look
forward to any feedback on this.
David Snook – Shands
Rd has become a major
thoroughfare for residents of the
expanding areas around Lincoln
and Rolleston (among others), so
in addition to increased traffic
volumes, there are increased
numbers joining and leaving
Shands Rd.
Contributors to the “problem”
include:
Visibility. Vehicles without
lights during periods of poor/
challenging light conditions
(sunset/rise, fog etc.). A vehicle
approaching you out of the gloom
is an unlit, dark coloured vehicle
which surely should be the first to
switch-on for their own safety.
The failure of motorists to
stop at stop signs. Motorists who
fail to indicate their intentions
with adequate timing. Failure to
maintain appropriate following
distances – especially when road
conditions (wet) demand it.
Poor choice of route;
there are multiple points
where you can join Shands
Rd, some intersections are
busier and are perhaps not
the best choice. Right turns
are particularly troublesome,
perhaps some intersections
should have “no right turn”
status. Slow moving (farm
vehicles for example) should
be “discouraged” from using
high-flow roads during peak
travel times. Due to the number
of intersections and driveway
entrances, Shands Rd should be
considered for “no passing lines”.
Selwyn District Council
chief executive David Ward
– Your Soap Box correspondent
Caitlin Miles (August 15,
Long wait is almost over) has
challenged the district council
to provide public transport
services for smaller townships.
We would like to clarify for your
readers that the planning and
provision of public transport
in the Canterbury region
is the responsibility of the
regional council, Environment
Canterbury. Selwyn District
Council staff and elected
members continue to advocate
for improvements in the
provision of public transport in
our district.
asty Bites
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