Media Release
14 January 2007

How many more have to die?

Yesterday's further fatal accident on the dangerous stretch of SH1 through Paekakariki should burden the conscience of Transit NZ and Land Transport NZ.

Paekakariki Community Board Chairman Adrian Webster says that the two State agencies should be held to account over their intransigence in the face of repeated calls to lower the speed limit on this piece of the highway.

"We have only just learned there was a meeting last month when LTNZ and Transit met with Kapiti Mayor Alan Milne and Council officers over our call for traffic lights at Paekakariki.

"We've been told that both agencies were opposed to any reduction in the highway speed limit through Paekakariki and that even if Transit were in favour of traffic lights (which it was not) LTNZ had made it clear it would not accept a proposal from Transit for traffic lights nor would they fund it," said Mr Webster.

He said it was this intransigence which had led Council to ignore a 40 page Council staff report on our intersection and abandon its support for our traffic lights. "This was despite the fact that the report provided a detailed refutation of the two agencies' attitude and showed that there was no legitimate basis for it.

"What we have is an extraordinary abuse of power by two State agencies whose duty is to serve the public not to dictate terms to them. It's the more extraordinary because Land Transport NZ has responsibility for safety - they can't be allowed to get away with refusing to fund an agreed safety measure," said Mr Webster.

He said he would be taking these issues up with the Minister of Transport Hon Annette King at a meeting arranged for 15 February. "A key argument is that the draft Regional Land Transport Strategy to which both agencies are a party provides for traffic signals at Paekakariki.

"And when Transit as recently as November offered our Council and our Board three different traffic light options it would be a complete breach of good faith if Transit is not now compelled to provide them," said Mr Webster.

ENDS

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