Letters: Give us a real reason for hiking price of Tauranga's toll roads

Letters: A reader has asked questioned the need to raise the price of Tauranga's toll roads. Photo/File

I wish the Minister of Transport would give a real reason for raising tolls (News, February 5).

Just because a charge has not risen for a certain time is no excuse for putting the toll up arbitrarily, and such a statement implies that good economics is not even part of the decision.

Even claiming that it may be in line with inflation is not acceptable in the current climate, particularly when reported use of the toll roads have been so much over the budget usage – TEL reported to be at least twice the initial estimates for the first year or so.

If inflation is intended to be the norm for all Government charges, why haven't all other financial aspects such as lower-end public service salaries been rising at or above inflation?

There is a precedent for not raising tolls - the Auckland Harbour Bridge, where tolls were reduced (to zero).

Noel Hall
Papamoa

Māori language signs

In reply to the objection by C. Humphreys to Māori language signs (Letters February 4),

Māori was made an official language of New Zealand in 1987. Parliament at that time decided that the Māori language should be supported as a national treasure of great value.

The use of Māori names for buildings, government departments, parks, streets and the polytech is simply a sign of respect for Māori as an official language.

Eventually, most New Zealanders will be comfortable with all these Māori names. In the meantime, those who are not comfortable with Māori names can simply write down the Māori names that they do not know and learn them. Incidentally, the name Toi-Ohomai for the polytechnic is a beautiful name that is inclusive of the Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane, and Taupo polytechnic areas in a way that no English name could be.

Peter Dey
Welcome Bay

Dreadful transformation

I've watched in horror at the dreadful transformation of a delightful mid-town multi-functional car park surrounded by iconic mature palm trees.

I question the sanity of the planners/bureaucrats who've inflicted on us the dreadful concrete slab result previously known as Phoenix Park.

What an absolute frivolous waste of ratepayers' money. I've yet to meet anyone who's not disgusted with the end result.

I heartily endorse the public assertion that those responsible should be held accountable and removed from any future position of city/park influence.

Tony Fellingham
Tauranga South

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