Road tension was clearly evident when the Dunedin City Council unveiled its latest residents’ opinion survey last week.
The state of the city’s roads and traffic delays are at the forefront of ratepayers’ minds. Satisfaction — or lack of it — with Dunedin’s roads dropped 10% to 38% while satisfaction with the flow of peak traffic fell 8% to 38%.
For those living in, or having recently passed through, Dunedin the results will hardly come as a surprise given the current state of the roading network.
Residents have endured months, or is it years, of delays while cycle lanes are built — and some subsequently ripped up and rebuilt.
Roads and traffic lanes have closed while repairs or redesigns are carried out. While the work goes on, many just see the changes as a way to reduce the number of inner-city car parks, which only adds to the frustration.
Tempers have flared in recent weeks, with several publicised clashes between cyclists and motorists, prompting transport authorities and Mayor Dave Cull to call for calm.
"Roadworks can be frustrating for all types of road users while they’re in progress, but in the long run they will improve the way people can get around the city," DCC chief executive Sue Bidrose said in a statement accompanying the latest survey.
Dunedin’s traffic woes do need to be kept in perspective, and roads users need to take a deep breath before venting their anger at the closest target. What drivers in Auckland, Wellington or parts of Christchurch would give to only face a 10 or 15-minute delay in their vehicle each journey.
The residents’ survey was first commissioned in 1994 and is aimed at canvassing residents’ views on a wide range of city facilities and services. The data is used to determine if council is meeting its long-term plan and annual plan objectives and identify possible improvements valued by residents. The survey, carried out each month from July 2017 to June 2018, involved randomly selecting 4800 residents from the electoral roll to take part. This year 1356 replied — a response rate of 28%.
Another interesting aspect from the latest data was the continued growing satisfaction with Forsyth Barr Stadium.
While the slightest mention of the stadium being a success will draw venom from those opposed to the facility — the figures appear to speak for themselves.
Satisfaction with the stadium continues to rise and this year reached 90%. It is now rated on a par with Dunedin’s other cultural facilities: Dunedin Botanic Garden (95%), Otago Museum (95%), Toitu Otago Settlers Museum (94%), and the Regent Theatre (90%).
There is no doubt the stadium has broken new ground this year. Three packed-out Ed Sheeran concerts over Easter won over many residents, and it proved a bonanza for the city and region.
The concerts not only brought joy to those fans of Sheeran, but also retailers, bar owners and restaurateurs who benefited from the thousands of people who flocked to the city. Seeing visitors out enjoying themselves and subsequently singing the praises of our city brings the feel-good factor.
The stadium continued prove its worth later in the year — outside of the survey period — when pop star Pink brought her Beautiful Trauma tour to Dunedin. It attracted 30,000-plus fans. Next year the Eagles concert promises to have similar numbers flocking to the stadium which should ensure satisfaction continues to rise.
