Editorial: Light the Loop, it's a clear no brainer

Police at the scene of an abduction on Whangarei's popular Hatea Loop. Photo / John Stone

The comments that you see on this page today come from people who have read about the horrific abduction of a jogger from Whangarei's Hatea Loop walkway.

They are unanimous - light the Hatea Loop!

A year ago, users of Whangarei's Hatea Loop walkway were talking about how unsafe it was in the dark.

In the summer of 2014/2015, use of the Loop walkway had exploded. And when daylight saving ended, people still wanted to use it in darkness - night and morning.

However, they felt unsafe - there was no lighting on the Pohe Island side of the walkway.

A regular Loop user told the Advocate in May 2015 that she had been caught one night by the fading light.

"I had run around half the Loop when it started to get really dark," she said. "I rang my fiance and made him come and pick me up, as I felt so unsafe running by myself."

Part of the reason people feel unsafe is that using the unlit portion of the Loop is like being in a tunnel.

Once you're in, you're in - there is a sense of being trapped and only able to go forward or back.

I ran through the Loop one night last year and startled two female walkers.

It was so dark, we did not see each other until we were suddenly in each other's faces.

The WDC has explained that potentially explosive methane has been a factor in the delay in lighting the Pohe Island side of the walkway.

It would be fair to say that a good portion of people, many of whom have voiced their view on Facebook on this issue, don't give a flying hoot about why it has taken so long.

When the WDC created a wonderful walkway that has enhanced Whangarei city no end, they also created a potential lair for predators in darkness.

That's not a reactive, emotive statement after what happened on Friday. It's a fact that was pointed out to the WDC last year.

The reality is that the Loop job is half finished.

Finish it. Light the Loop - now.