Should FNDC have policy to give priority to maintaining child safety levels, improving it where possible, and not reducing child safety when undertaking road improvements.

Michael from Kerikeri District

The FNDC does not have such a policy at present. The road widening in Lansing Road Kerikeri has reduced the safety factor for children going to the local primary school. The pavement on the East side had a two metre plus grass berm between the road and the pavement, which has been reduced to little more than fifty centimetre by a widening to facilitate development on the opposite side of the road.( The original plan showed no berm between the road and the pavement which suddenly changed to the current gap after I started to question why the widening did not take place on the other side of the road). The original berm had a shallow drain but still provided a safety feature for primary school children riding their bikes and scooter to school along the pavement . The pavement was not wide enough to accommodate both walkers and cycles. Frequently one could see children when confronted by walkers wobbling on to the berm. Even when they came off they did not fall into the road. That is no longer possible with the new widening.

On the 15th July the developers started work on the widening. The first that residents knew of the road work. I asked the person in charge what was happening. They told me that they were widening the road on the east side and that the intention was to bring the roadway up to and alongside the existing footpath.. I question why it was not on the other side of the road because what they were doing was reducing the safety feature for primary school children who cycle and ride scooters to and from school. They said they did not know. I then contacted the FNDC to ascertain why they were not doing the work on the development side. On the 16th July I was told it was a roading issue and the Roading section would be in touch. I Had no contact from them despite ringing again on the 17, 18 and 19th . Eventually I received a plan of the widening with no explanation on the 26th July. I replied questioning why the widening was not on the other side of the road . I received no response so I wrote to the Mayor John Carter on the 19th August who responded the same day saying that the Roading would provide me with answers. On the 3rd September I received a telephone call from the Roadins Section which simply told me what the proposal was. I indicated that I knew this and wanted to know why it had not been widened on the other side. Roading representative said this was not the question he had been asked to respond to. I pressed him why it was not on the other side of the road. he first said that the the resulting road and pavement was no worse than others elsewhere. I responded that this represented going to the lowest common denominator. On pressing him further he said that doing the work on the other side would have meant moving the centreline and it would have to be repainted. I responded by saying this suggested the Council thought that the cost of paint was more important than the safety of children. I then asked for him to put his response in writing. I received an email on the 10th September in which I could not open the enclosure. I responded with this fact but have had no further response.



This demonstrates I believe that the FNDC does not have a policy whereby child safety protection is a priority in considering road schemes. Central Government makes child welbeing a priority. So should I believe the District Councils. There is currently an election coming up and candidates should be pressed to make the safety of children a priority especial in considerations of road schemes. They should require that only in exceptional circumstance should existing safety factors be reduced but where ever possible safety factors for pavement users, especial children, should be enhanced.