Bid to revisit Taupo Quay plan fails

CAUSE LOST: Rob Vinsen. PHOTO/FILE

A Wanganui district councillor's bid to give pedestrians greater protection in an inner city street has fallen flat.

Rob Vinsen tried unsuccessfully to rally support at this week's council meeting to get a report on the legality of a planned raised pedestrian crossing on Taupo Quay before the work started.

Mr Vinsen has been arguing for a proper zebra crossing to be part of the upgrade of a section of Taupo Quay between Market Place and Victoria Ave - and last weekend he launched a petition to demand a change.

He also said the kerb and channel design in the Quay was worse than he imagined and also represented a danger to cyclists using the road.

"This design needs to be revisited. It could be as simple as putting in a cycle lane because without it someone's going to get hurt."

Mr Vinsen said the council should consider copying the raised pedestrians platforms in the Avenue. He also asked for an explanation of the legal status of the planned platform which will go in at the intersection of the Quay and Drews Ave.

Senior roading engineer Rui Leitao said the platform was part of the road and not a pedestrian crossing and the redesign of the Quay was aimed at changing driver behaviour.

"The Avenue crossings are legal and only became zebra crossings when hatched panels were put in," he said.

Mr Vinsen wanted to get another report on the legality of the raised platform, but mayor Annette Main said that would mean revisiting a project that had been approved twice before.

Mr Leitao said the design would slow traffic and large trucks crossing the platform would have to stop before they went ahead anyway, with the long-term traffic strategy aimed at getting heavy traffic to bypass the area altogether.

Councillor Helen Craig said she understood concerns about safety "but we're not roading designers".

"This is not a major thoroughfare like the Avenue and is only at its busiest on Saturday mornings when the market is operating. We're trying to be experts and that's wrong," she said.

Councillor Rangi Wills agreed the route was "dangerous" for cyclists and councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan hoped council could "buy some time" before committing to the raised platform.

Mr Leitao said delaying the project meant cost implications as the plan was to finish it before Christmas.

Ms Main said she had been at the markets for the past eight years and was not aware of anyone being hurt crossing the road.

"Traffic through the area has slowed considerably and we're learning to share the road. If any cyclist felt unsafe, they could ride on the riverside boardwalk away from the traffic.

"It's time for council to start listening to our staff, who are giving us their best advice, and to trust them."

Mr Vinsen said the issue was whether council favoured a legal pedestrian crossing or for vehicles to have the right of way.

"Who's going to be held to account if an accident occurs?"

But his effort to get a report on the legality of the crossing was defeated, his sole support coming from Mrs Baker-Hogan.