LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - T2

 

“The T2 bus lane from Kamo down to the Bank Street roundabout was a potentially disastrous decision from day one, especially from Whau Valley to the Bank Street roundabout.

Not only are businesses losing income because of a lack of parking southbound and northbound, but there is the everyday potential of heavy vehicles colliding with power poles northbound because our so-called experts at Council decided to close the parking bays on the left-hand northbound lanes. Because of this, our delivery trucks are so much closer to the poles. It is a catastrophe just simmering away, waiting to boil over. Who’s going to pay for the damage? Council? I don’t think so.

I am a recently retired truck driver, and it is decisions like this that cause headaches for my mates still doing it. Wake up councillors, get it right!” – M.P.

T2 FOLLOW UP

In the April issue of LETTERBOX, we raised concerns about the T2 bus lane between Kamo and the CBD, following criticism from businesses affected by the changes. We asked Brad Flower, Chairman of the Whangārei District Council (WDC) Infrastructure Committee, for an update on the project. Here is his response:

T2 MADNESS

When the 6km bus lane between Kamo and Whangārei was first proposed in October 2023, LETTERBOX questioned why a bus lane (T2) was needed in Whangārei.

At the time, Cr McKenzie (now Deputy Mayor) said Whangārei needed T2 because Auckland and Wellington have them, and it “provided interesting and innovative public transport options.”

The Whangārei District Council (WDC) website is a little more specific. It says: “The T2 transit lane helps to keep Whangārei moving, reducing congestion and improving travel times by separating buses and vehicles with more than one occupant.”