Giving options, over time

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Re: GDC stargazing.

Peter misses the point. Firstly a combination of all the community’s walkers, runners, mobility scooter users, cyclists, wheelchair users, skaters and pram pushers is not a “minority”. And these “minorities” all pay rates.

There has always been an intention to fund these activities largely outside of rates. I believe we should use funds from exterior sources which target such activities and are available for that purpose. All other regions have and do tap in to the advantage of such external investment.

Peter is right. We should and do have a focus on providing community infrastructure that is fit for purpose. However, when I last looked, community was not just car users.

Of course I use a car, but this week I biked to two of my meetings. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t. It doesn’t and is not intended to be one or the other.

The here and now Peter speaks of is recognised. However, part of the solution is enabling less destructive activity and giving options to be less destructive to both the roading network and environmental impacts with less fuel-dependant lifestyles. The “upping of community activity” you feel is outside my brief as a councillor is surely a beneficial consequence.

And Simin. While we would all like to snap our fingers and have utopia, it does have to be in a controlled manner that is practical and affordable — particularly the component funded by ratepayers. It will always be a work in progress and there has been progress.

This “is” about listening to the likes of Sue and providing practical infrastructure for all our sector user groups. We need to offer the transport mode which suits their specific journey. By default, the current decision virtually must be a car — but that compulsion can change without the “car unfriendly” consequences a few seem to fear.

Andy Cranston