Tempers fly over street congestion | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A delegation to the Carterton District Council of a dozen residents from Carterton's Tyne Street, concerned about constant traffic congestion, turned into a heated discussion yesterday which saw council members scratching their heads over road management legalities and the residents hurling accusations that someone would get killed if immediate action is not taken.

Spontaneous applause punctuated the meeting from the residents as pertinent points were raised.

Tyne Street is a small, narrow blind street which has a side entrance to Carterton School and its residents are sick and tired of the regular twice-daily traffic jams which occur when children are dropped off and then picked up from school.

The issue had been raised at last month's council meeting and after a report in the Wairarapa Times-Age, residents were incensed to read that the council is considering narrowing the footpaths and creating a turning bay at the end of the street.

"It's not about bad traffic management, it's all about lazy parents not wanting to park further away from the school entrance and walk their little darlings a few hundred metres to the school gate," Terry Down, one resident who could not hold in his frustration at the council meeting which did not technically allow for public speaking rights, said.

"And, it's not just the parents at fault but up to 12 teachers' cars are parked there regularly throughout the day, causing more traffic congestion." He said two weeks ago an ambulance trying to manoeuvre through the traffic had trouble getting to an elderly neighbour. He told council members he had to ask for a car to be moved one day to get out of his driveway.

Another resident to break her silence was Christine Kennedy, a teacher, who said it was a duty of care issue and she has often seen small children all over the road before and after school.

"Both teachers at the school and parents don't seem to be taking that duty seriously," she said.

Unable to contain himself, Mr Down shouted that someone would get killed, or at least hurt, if something was not done soon.

In a letter to the council, residents' spokesman John Bridge enclosed a petition from 18 residents in Tyne Street stating it has proved a sore point that all the money spent on a new parking area in the school seems to have been wasted as parents persist in using the side gate from Tyne Street. He pointed out that a few years ago, pupils were only allowed to use the main entrance from Holloway Street.

Another letter to the council included Jan Warren's name. She said that, as a midwife, she works broken shifts and needs to rest during the day. The extra traffic made this a problem.

After talks with Carterton police, the residents suggested Tyne Street could be made a "residents-only precinct" and asked what procedure is required to achieve this. Council members are unsure how they will go about this.

Chief executive Kieran Shaw said it would be a lengthy exercise, meaning the gazetting of the intention and then a bylaw being established.

Among other suggestions to remedy the problem was the possible purchase of a property next to the Tyne Street school entrance to create a parking area. This was quickly opposed by council members, including Bill Knowles, who said he was strongly opposed to such a purchase.

He said perhaps the children's play area could be encroached upon but added the council was not responsible for providing parking for the school and its first concern must be for the residents. This comment attracted enthusiastic applause from the resident delegation.

Dick Booth said parents should be more responsible and not think "they had the God-given right to take their little darlings right to the school gate, encouraging them to walk a few hundred metres which would be good for them."

Helen Brazendale felt this remark was a bit facetious in that many parents already do park at a distance and do walk their children into class. She said the school roll had increased since the Tyne Street entrance was introduced and suggested the school could consider next year staggering its finishing times to alleviate the problem.

The issue of teachers' cars parking in Tyne Street all day concerned the council members and along with the wider traffic management issue it was decided to approach the Carterton School principal, Pat Gallagher, and if necessary the board of trustees to thrash out the problem.

The council will then report back to residents who meantime are breathing a sigh of relief that school finishes for the year next week.