Pegasus Post: June 18, 2019

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4 Tuesday June 18 2019 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi News Student safety focus of median strip petition • By Matt Slaughter THE REMOVAL of a median strip outside Avonside Girls’ and Shirley Boys’ High schools will put students in danger, says a nearby business owner. Hopman Motors owner Mike Watson has submitted a petition with 46 signatures to stop this. The city council says it is necessary to create space for new cycle lanes. The median strip connects to traffic islands in the centre of the road but they will not be removed. Mr Watson’s Travis Rd business overlooked the median strip and he watched students cross the road before and after school. Said Mr Watson: “It’s horrendous, at that time, of course, the cars are just banked up. There are literally miles of cars right from roundabout to roundabout sort of thing, flowing in both directions.” Without the median strip he said: “It would be blimmin hard for them to negotiate and not get clobbered by a car that doesn’t see them.” Mr Watson said he had only one day to collect signatures on his petition, but it had been signed by surrounding businesses, residents and teachers at BUSY: Hopman Motors owner Mike Watson on the median strip outside his business. PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER the schools. Said city council transport operations manager Steffan Thomas: “Council will give due consideration to the concerns raised in the petition, and the action requested by the petition signatories.” Mr Thomas said removal of the median strip to accommodate cycle lanes through to Bower Ave was part of a project to improve the transport network for the section of Travis Rd between Bower Ave and Frosts Rd. He said ensuring student safety was a key part of this project. “It was carefully considered in the preparation of the scheme, which provides for pedestrian islands in three locations – east of Wattle Drive, east of Blue Gum Pl and east of Atlantis St – plus crossing facilities associated with the traffic islands at the Bower Ave/Travis Rd and Frosts Rd/Travis Rd roundabouts. Provision of cycle lanes on Travis Rd is also considered important in terms of safety for the many students who are cycling to and from the schools.” However, Mr Watson said PEGASUS POST from what he had seen, bikes were not common on the stretch of road the bike lanes were planned for. “The bike traffic is almost nonexistent. Like, I’ve stood out there for an hour and counted and watched and counted three bikes in an hour and that’s at peak times when the kids are coming in and out of school.” He believed if some car parking spaces were removed to make room for the bike lanes, the median strip could stay and multiple parties would be satisfied. Shirley Boys’ High School principal John Laurenson said he wasn’t aware of Mr Watson’s petition, but agreed an option, which prioritised student safety and encouraged active transport at the same time would be best. “Obviously, I’d be for anything that helps guarantee student safety, or any person’s safety for that matter. I do know that we’re working with transport authorities and the local council on traffic issues and problems and so on.” Avonside Girls’ High principal Sue Hume said she did not have enough information on the petition or what the city council was proposing to comment.
PEGASUS POST Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Tuesday June 18 2019 5 Possible freedom camping solution • By Matt Slaughter A SOLUTION to stop freedom camping along Marine Pde could have been found. But the city council says the issue is complex. The Coastal-Burwood Community Board has asked the city council if North Beach Regional Park could be extended to include the North Beach car park, so it is covered by the Parks and Reserves Bylaw no camping clause. Freedom camping is illegal under the bylaw. But a city council Kim Money spokesperson said it is still weighing up this option. “No decision has been made yet. It is not a simple matter. It is relevant to note that a review of the Freedom Camping Bylaw will be undertaken next year, which will include looking at freedom camping across the district, including in these coastal areas,” they said. Coastal-Burwood Community Board chairwoman Kim Money told Pegasus Post in February the board wanted the city council to install signage banning freedom camping in the North Beach car SOLUTION?: The Coastal-Burwood Community Board has asked for the North Beach car park to become part of the North Beach Regional Park where freedom camping is banned. park and parking bays opposite Thomson Park. Ms Money said it was common for campers in these car parks to leave rubbish behind and defecate in nearby natural areas. Said the council spokesperson: “Council compliance staff are aware of the feedback about freedom camping activities at the North Beach car park this season. This will be taken into account when the compliance and monitoring programme for the coming freedom camping season is being considered.” Freedom camping is still legal in the North Beach and Thomson Park car parks, but making the car park at North Beach part of the regional park would be the first step towards solving freedom camping issues along Marine Pde, said Ms Money. Ms Money said including the North Beach car park in the regional park area would “make a whole lot more sense” and “resolve” the freedom camping issue there. She said once freedom camping was prohibited at North Beach the board would then investigate how the same could be done at Thomson Park. In spite of the North Beach car park being outside of North Beach Regional Park, the nearby Waimairi Beach car park falls in this area. Signage prohibiting freedom camping was installed here and vehicles staying illegally is uncommon, Ms Money said. The North Beach car park is only covered by the city-wide freedom camping restriction, which allows self-contained vehicles to stay for no more than two nights in a 30-day period. Local News Now In Brief Fire rages, homes at risk BURWOOD RD MEETING New Zealand Transport Agency and Canterbury District Health Board representatives are set to attend a site meeting at the intersection of Burwood and Mairehau Rds to discuss wheelchair users’ safety. On June 4, Pegasus Post reported New Zealand Spinal Trust representatives, city council staff and Burwood Ward city councillor Glenn Livingstone will also attend the meeting on how safety can be improved for Burwood Hospital patients who cross at the intersection. A date for the meeting has not been set. TREE REMOVAL A cabbage tree on Marshland Rd, and any other trees that will impact the plan to make the Hawkins, Lower Styx and Marshland Rds intersection safer, will be removed. The plan includes widening the bridge over the Styx River. The decision follows consultation with local rūnanga. Seeds will be harvested from the tree prior to its removal. WALKING TRACK DANGER The Coastal-Burwood Community Board is seeking advice from city council over safety concerns at the Tovey St entrance to the Coastal Pathway. It says the blind corner on Marine Pde before the track entrance is a danger to pedestrians. Check your details are up to date.
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Pegasus Post: June 18, 2019

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