Avenue delays displease A.A.

Press, 16 December 1985, Page 1

Avenue delays displease A.A.

By

KAY FORRESTER

The Automobile Association is unhappy with Christchurch City Council delays in solving Bealey Avenue’s accident problems.

The association’s Canterbury branch president, Mr Ron Wilton, believes that the council has been swayed by vocal environmentalists and has put trees before driver safety. This month, councillors voted to shelve what has turned into a controversial issue when the works and traffic committee opted to test better signposting, lighting and road markings for six months before reconsidering installing right-turn lanes along the avenue. They will vote again on the test period as a council this evening. The proposal for the turning slots would mean removing about 30 trees from the avenue’s median strip. Mr Wilton said that the A.A. believed the proposal for turning lanes achieved the right balance between safety and environmental issues. It was the correct solution.

Subsequent proposals — such as removing parking from the avenue and creating an extra lane on the outside rather than the inside — failed to address the problem of safety, he said.

“This association believes the problem of safety, which must be paramount, is not being addressed as a first priority,” Mr Wilton said.

“In particular, we state our concern at any possible loss of parking and footpath space which would result from the alternative proposals, and we emphasise the crucial need to look well into the future when planning the use of this major traffic route.”

Mr Wilton agreed that the council’s deliberations were a “monument to indecision,” a luxury the city could illafford. The phrase.was used by the Mayor, Sir Hamish Hay, at the works and traffic meeting after councillors decided on the six months deferment.

“No matter the timing of the current council term, a firm, decisive, and correct stand must be taken by this

council on this most important matter,” Mr Wilton said. The next local body election is in October. The trial period for the signs and lights will not be completed then because it will take about six months to install , the lights to be tested. Mr Wilton said that the association had not been ■; . officially consulted by the council about the proposal ■' for the avenue, but it had ’ - closely monitored the debate. It had noted the council would plant more trees to replace those removed for the lanes and that some of the trees to be removed were in a poor condition. It also noted the accident rate of the avenue, traffic volumes and the opinion of the council’s own professional staff. Mr Wilton applauded the council’s aim of finding solutions to “accident black spots” in the city but doubted the worth of such deliberations if environmental protection was given undue preference over road safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.