Lights contract queried

Press, 2 August 1983, Page 8

Lights contract queried

A proposed 70 per cent increase in the cost of maintaining its traffic lights has upset the Riccarton Borough Council.

The contract for the maintenance of traffic lights at five of the borough’s intersections expired on Sunday, and the works and town hall committee yesterday received a letter from Harding Signals, Ltd, that the price of a new contract until July’3l, 1984, would be $5892.

The chairman of the committee, Cr R. S. Lester, said this was 70 per cent more than the last contract and this could not be justified during a price He said Harding Signals

had a monopoly on such work and he was very concerned that the council was being “held to ransom,” particularly as the traffic signals had to be maintained at a high standard.

Cr J. W. Warren suggested removing some traffic lights and building roundabouts, but Cr Lester said this would be a backward step.

Cr Lester wanted to refer the matter to the Trade and Industry Department, but it was decided to discuss the contract with Harding Signals in a bid to find a more acceptable figure. The general manager of Harding Signals, Mr G. S. Dealing, said from Wellington last evening that he was

aware of the council’s concern and would meet the borough engineer, Mr W. E. Leatham, on Thursday. He said it was not true to say the the company had a monopoly over this work. Harding Signals took over the Riccarton contract from another company which has gone out of business and for about a year had been doing the work at a price quoted by this other company. Members of the electricity committee did not think the borough had been given reasonable time to make submissions on the draft revision of the Electricity Supply Regulations. The council received a copy of the draft on July 29, but the Town rjlerk, Mr J. B. Skinnef; said submissions

had to be made to the Electricity Supply Authorities Association by next Saturday and to the Minister of Energy, Mr Birch, by August 10. Mr Skinner expected the matter to be raised at the southern regional meeting of the Electricity Supply Association tomorrow, but if not, the Riccarton Borough Council would write to the Minister expressing its concern about this. Cr G. W. Hunt said it was unreasonable, and he wondered whether the Minister had become a “creature of his department” rather than the person guiding it. However, it was also agreed that the council should make submissio®|-on the draft.