Letters to the editor

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Neighbourhood suffers
I am a resident of Findlay Street and like yourself have observed with interest the Wood Street summer trial. Your editorial ‘Wood Street: Where to from here?’ prompted my response.

Firstly the Wood St scenario. Certainly the traffic flows appear to be more orderly due in large part, I believe, to the Fagan Place additional parking which seemed to have relieved the usual seasonal traffic congestion.

We will always be plagued by the inconsiderate drivers who double park and restrict others and no amount of traffic management will solve this short term issue.

With pedestrian traffic zigzagging across Wood Street I find that the one-way system has exacerbated this behaviour since there is now no ‘safe’ lane as you would have in a two-way system.

Clearly access into the Four Square has been improved with now no west bound traffic attempting to turn right into the car park.

I have spoken to six Wood St businesses: three were ho hum in response to the traffic changes, one was totally opposed as their revenue was down 20 per cent, the Four Square was favourably disposed because of the access. My last business enquiry stated that they didn’t know why the changes had been made and could see no real value in continuing.

Consider the ‘unintended consequences’ of the traffic changes.

The entry from Molesworth into Wood can be fraught with traffic backed up south, almost to Findlay at times. This then backs up the Findlay traffic trying to turn left and right into Molesworth.

What we now have with the trial is that the main route from Wood and surrounds is not West onto Molesworth but through Ellen and Findlay in the main with a manifold increase in traffic and the designers of this scheme have successfully extended the commercial throughways onto mostly Ellen and Findlay but also Margaret and Holiday.

Whilst it is not really possible to accelerate out of Wood under the pre-trial traffic regime it is now a frequent occurrence up Ellen and down Findlay with no regard for the ‘Give Way’ at the Ellen/Findlay intersection and the ‘Stop’ at the Findlay/Molesworth intersection.

Our peaceful environment has been shattered.

Additionally, the residents on Wood East, Margaret, Holiday, Robert, Ellen, Albert, Findlay etc have no vehicular access to Wood other than to descend

onto Molesworth and further crowd a main arterial. Equally the Fagan residents cannot access Molesworth from Wood and must take an extended route either through Ellen or Margaret.

The many residents I have spoken to are not impressed. This is a real concern, that the Mangawhai Heads village surrounds have been exposed to an experiment that has created a significant level of dislocation and generated real health and safety concerns.

In summary my observation is that the trial, whilst promoted in good faith, has been a disappointment in its extended effects. Certainly the additional parking has been a real positive, but how permanent is this given the development potential of the site?

One does begin to question why the trial was ever commenced in the first place given the disruption to both business and residential ratepayers, all of which should have been blindingly obvious at the outset.

As Mangawhai Heads continues to grow and prosper it is clear that the Wood business precinct will require upgrading but not at the expense of the surrounding neighbourhood. Resolve the commercial issues within the commercial area.

 

Kerry O’Malley
Mangawhai
(Abridged)

 

Traffic positive
With regard to the new traffic system along Wood Street, I agree with Peter Lyne that the ‘downside’ has been increased traffic along Findlay Street. My experience with the new system has been very positive, and I have yet to meet anyone who is insisting that the old system is better. However whenever I use Findlay Street, having left the shops, invariably I am the only car in the street.

So, a simple suggestion, accepting that just about all traffic needs to get back to Molesworth Drive. For southbound traffic, continue to use Ellen and Findlay Streets, and for northbound traffic use Margaret Street and North Avenue. Also it was Simon Bridges that championed resolution to the one-lane bridges two Northland elections ago, not Winston!

Steve Green
Mangawhai

 

Parking problems
To the Kaipara District Council: I am writing with some urgency. I have recently heard that there are plans afoot to bring in a roundabout and a restructuring of the roadways in Mangawhai Village. I was glad to hear that about this.

But I also hear that parking issues are not going to be looked at until ‘next time’. That the parking outside the Four Square, library, art gallery, hall and butcher – in fact the whole community area in the village – is to be drastically reduced. Are there to be three carparks available?

I am a long term resident, and continue to be an active community participant of Mangawhai. I have children (and grandchildren) who are also permanent rate-paying residents here. I use all the services I have mentioned above, regularly, as many others do also. I am also regrettably now one of the many older people in Mangawhai who are unfortunately witnessing my mobility lessening.

Please could the access to our community services be considered in this 'round of discussions' before construction begins.

And please can you acknowledge receipt of my letter with a suggestion of how I can ensure the needs of myself and others are being considered in this current planning timetable.

Pauline Wilson
Mangawhai

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