Island ‘bad for business’

Press, 10 February 1983, Page 4

Island ‘bad for business’

A Christchurch veterinarian said yesterday that his clinic would have to close if the City Council went ahead with a proposed traffic island in Lincoln Road. - An island would act as a pedestrian refuge between Lyttelton Street and Torrens Road.

Mr B. J. McLeavey, a veterinary surgeon whose practice is at 100 Lincoln Road, opposite the proposed island, said that the project would discourage people from bringing animals to the clinic in their cars.

He needed a high volume of customers to keep his fees low, and the traffic island would reduce the number of people coming to the clinic while helping few pedestrians.

"I have no alternative but to close if this thing goes ahead.” said Mr McLeavev.

He admitted that pedestrians had trouble crossing the road during peak traffic flows.

"I know there is a problem. I am not saying there isn.t," he said, “but problem or not. I don’t want to see my business go down the drain."

It was important to have the "nice, private, consoling atmosphere” that his clinic's private car-park provided for pet owners and their oftendisturbed animals.

"You need a good environment for getting pets out of cars,” he said.

People often had trouble with animals being brought to the clinic, "and when they

get there, they are a jittering mess." said Mr McLeavey of the pet owners. A suggestion that he could remove the fence between his clinic and the next-door supermarket car-park to open up the clinic to better vehicle access, was not feasible, he said.

"At night, every drunk and no-hoper in the district uses the area ... and I don't want them using my parking lot."

The trees and fence also kept an occasional animal escaper from getting very far.

Mr McLeavey said the traffic island solution to the pedestrian problem was not a good one. and it would have a drastic effect on his business.

“Business isn't all that

marvellous. People have a funny idea (about vets) that the only tiring part of the dav is when they are counting the money at night, but it's not true," he said. Mr McLeavey's objection has been supported by a petition with about 700 signatures.

Councillors said the issue should be discussed with the Waimairi District Council, whose territory comes to Lincoln Road opposite the veterinary clinic.

Both councils have agreed that a long-term solution to the pedestrian problem would be crossing signals when Lyttelton Street and Wrights Road are some day realigned at Lincoln Road, and traffic signals are installed.