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Gore District Council roading asset manager Peter Standring squats next to a vandalised planter...
Gore District Council roading asset manager Peter Standring squats next to a vandalised planter box. Photo: Sandy Eggleston
Gore district councillors have voted to pull the pin on some of the controversial Streets Alive Project installations being trialled in the town.

The decision was made at the council meeting last night.

Last month, a 1000-strong petition was presented to the council calling for changes to a number of the installations as well as the results of a council residents’ survey about the trials.

In a late item of business added to the agenda yesterday, a letter from Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks to New Zealand Transport Agency chief executive Nicole Rosie, her reply and a report from the council’s chief executive Steve Parry were tabled.

In the letter, Mr Hicks said he was prepared to "weather the storm" if it meant transport agency funding would be provided to make positive changes to the way streets were laid out.

"However, if commitments on future funding of positive changes highlighted by the Streets Alive trial cannot be forthcoming, then I believe the council would readily cave in to the community demands and uplift the more invasive and offensive aspects of what is being trialled."

In her reply, Ms Rosie said it was important for the trial to continue until at least June 28 to allow the collection of data.

"Once the trial is complete, we are happy to work with you to discuss and identify which parts of the trial can be taken forward and how best to do so."

In his report, Mr Parry listed options for councillors to consider about the future of the Streets Alive installations.

Some of these options for consideration were included in the petition presented to the council last month.

"This suite of action is also being recommended having regard for the need to collect as much data as possible in the limited time available before public patience is all but exhausted."

The first suggestion was the reopening of Broughton and Eccles Sts on June 14 to be followed two to three days later by the reopening of Kitchener, Anzac and Pomona streets.

Planter pots and courtesy crossings would continue to be removed after that, while the roundabouts that had been installed would be kept.

In the discussion at the meeting last night, Mr Hicks said given the opposition to some aspects of the project, it was important the council took action.

"We need to consider a way forward now."

Cr Bronwyn Reid spoke in favour of the recommendation.

"I think we need to take the community into consideration at this point," Mrs Reid said.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the early termination of parts of the trial.

sandy.eggleston@odt.co.nz

Comments

Well done Gore council for listening to the people. Now we just need NZTA to come back to reality and stop forcing silly ideas on the people of NZ. They are supposed to support road safety not make it worse.

At last a Council listening to their constituents. Very refreshing

Pity dcc and orc cannot listen to the people who pay them.... the ratepayers.

My analysis is that the only two questions of the Council Survey which received more than a 50 % vote was 400/742 or 53 % in favour of Irk St Changes and 389/742 or 52 % in favour of the Irk/Fairfield Roundabout.Neither are a mandate for change.All other aspects were seen as negative.There were 1300 petition votes if you count those which were stolen,and when the number of votes for mayoral candidates total 5200,that is material,

 

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