The traffic problems around town should have eased this week. It is school holidays and it is raining.

Council decisions have caused many of the problems. Regional council decided to start charging for school buses. The majority of school buses run half full with the remainder of students driving or being driven to college/school.

Recently we had the opening of the tunnel under Welcome Bay roundabout. Welcome Bay is a fast developing area but has no college or supermarket so is very reliant on the road to town.

Council knew about the tunnel but did nothing about the Hairini Bridge. Instead they concentrated on their alterations to Greerton Village. I could see no sense in what was proposed so contacted the project manager at council but a comment that "maybe the shoppers would find the shopping at the Crossing more convenient" said it all. Nobody I have spoken to in Greerton and Pyes Pa can make out any improvement to the village In fact the likely and only reason is that someone at council needed a job. Maybe the Hairini Bridge?

I do wonder if the project plans were run past St John. I can't see that an ambulance would get through Greerton very quickly between 1.30-6pm.

P Turmer, Pyes Pa.