Letters to the editor: Subdivisions are the root cause of congestion

A reader says new subdivisions are the root cause of Tauranga's traffic woes. Photo / NZME

OPINION

Car culture

Getting people out of cars will not happen.

It is our culture and that is one of the reasons why the Government is partly paying for the selected few who choose to buy electric vehicles.

The real solution is to stop all new subdivision building.

These builds are the root cause of our road congestion. Our roads are clottered and it is like trying to put five pounds of sugar in a two-pound bag.

When our infrastructure has been sorted, then that is the time to start building again, not the other way around as it is at present.

As the Government wants this growth, let it pay first instead of us having to pay again because what services we have paid for in our rates have become now ineffective through no fault of ours.

Graham Holloway
Gate Pa

Tough on crime

It is time to stop talking and pretending to be tough.

Drugs, gangs and all anti-social behaviour require severe and comprehensible consequences for the offenders.

Consequences for too long have been borne solely by the victim.

Crime statistics are shameful and all indications are that it will get worse.

The only thing voters can do is support a political party prepared to legislate to outlaw gangs and restore character motivation training to turn the tide of lawlessness and re-establish pride in being a law-abiding Kiwi.

B Anderson
Tauranga

Covid-related deaths

I note a short item on page 9 of the (May 27) Bay of Plenty Times that informs us there have been 1102 Covid-related deaths in New Zealand.

I also note that as of January 31, 2022, there had been 57 Covid deaths in New Zealand. This was for all of 2020 and 2021.

Are you sure the 1102 number is correct?

If it is, that means there have been 1045 Covid deaths in New Zealand in the February 1 – May 27, 2022 interval (116 days).

According to your figures, that is nine deaths per day.

Surely that is worthy of a front-page story?

Michael Esdaile
Matua

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

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