FREE TUESday OCTOBER 3 2017 379 7100 Selwyn GET CONNECTED WITH Scorch Broadband Times Proudly locally owned and published by Star Media Award winning publishing group Kea (Nestor Notabilis) 0800 726 724 www.scorch.co.nz Ladbrooks, Tai Tapu, Leeston, Lincoln, Southbridge, Prebbleton, Halswell, Rolleston, Templeton, Burnham, West Melton, Darfield, Arthur’s Pass, Kirwee Selwyn revels in diversity GROOVE: Dancers from 20 different ethnic and cultural backgrounds performed at Sunday’s Selwyn CultureFest 2017. More than 3000 people attended the festival, which was held to celebrate Selwyn’s growing diversity. • Story, pg 9 Intersections on dangerous list • By Georgia O’Connor-Harding RURAL intersections in Selwyn are rated the second most dangerous in New Zealand. Data shows as of May this year, three fatal or serious crashes were recorded at rural intersections within the district. Selwyn ranks below Hamilton, which also had three fatal or serious crashes recorded at its rural intersections. The information was released by the New Zealand Transport Agency, using data from its crash analysis system. It was discussed at the district council’s road safety subcommittee meeting last week as part of a report from committee chairwoman and district councillor Nicole Reid. Inspector Peter Cooper said the statistics were not a surprise. He believed Selwyn had more stop signs at rural intersections than any other area in the country, he said. “When you drive around in Selwyn you come to so many double intersections with stop signs each way and they are all high speed, 80 to 100km/ph. That is what heightens the risk,” he said. Mrs Reid said the district’s landscape was another reason. “Our roads go for quite some distance so if you are distracted there is the potential to miss the intersection coming up,” she said. Other factors included a boom in population and increase in traffic numbers, and the mix of local, commuter and city traffic. A trial of solar-powered flashing LED signs, which have been in place at some of the district’s most dangerous intersections for the past 18 months, is set to be evaluated next month. The idea was first put forward by Sergeant Dan Harker. He and his pregnant wife were nearly killed after they were hit by another car while driving through an intersection in the district about 20 years ago. Sergeant Harker said the trial had produced positive results. “It is working, that is the main thing...there haven’t been any crashes at any of the sites, when there normally would have been up to 11. They work,” he said. Mrs Reid said the committee needed to review the effectiveness of its road safety activities and its road visibility. The committee resolved to hear from various agencies involved including police and NZ Trucking Association, about what programmes were in place to reduce risk. A speed limit review is also underway by the district council. •HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you find the rural intersections in Selwyn dangerous? Email your views to georgia. oconnor@starmedia.kiwi Free confident driving course for mature drivers Selwyn District Council and Age Concern offer a free refresher course for mature drivers. The informative, enjoyable and informal session starts at 9.30am and finishes at 2.30pm. Morning tea, lunch and refreshments are provided. Selwyn District Council and Age Concern offer free refresher courses throughout the Selwyn District. Contact Next course the Road at Lincoln Safety on team 11 May at the 2017 Council to book your place on the next course in your area. For more information, contact Ngaire at the Council on (03) 347 2901 or by email roadsafety@selwyn.govt.nz To book your place on the course, please contact Yvonne or Deidre at Age Concern on (03) 366 0903 or Ngaire at the Council (03) 347 2901. www.selwyn.govt.nz
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