(PR.co.nz) The Council today (27 May 2010) approved its Cruising Bylaw 2010 that prohibits cruising on selected city streets seven days a week between the hours of 10pm to 5am.
The new bylaw bans driving repeatedly in the same direction over the same section of a road in a manner that draws attention to the power or sound of the engine of the vehicle, or that creates a convoy that is formed otherwise than in trade and impedes traffic flow.
The Council decided that repeatedly means not more than once within a 60 minute period.
The Bylaw will apply to all multi-lane roads under the control of the Christchurch City Council, and on the whole of Main Road (from Ferry Road to Marriner Street, Sumner) and all of the Esplanade (Sumner) as well as the following streets:
• Manchester Street, between Bealey and Moorhouse Avenues
• Helmores Lane,
• Rossall Street and
• the one-lane section of Deans Avenue.
The bylaw fulfils our side of the bargain with the central government, says Mayor Bob Parker, adding that the bylaw will not solve all the problems associated with anti-social road use.
Addressing the concern of visual pollution by the addition of signage on the roads earmarked for the cruising ban, Mr Parker said: “If the short term solution means a plethora of signage so be it. It is the lesser of the two evils.”
Breaching the cruising bylaw can attract a fine of up to $1000 or an infringement fee of $150.
The Cruising Bylaw 2010 was approved for consultation on 11 February 2010. Thirty two submissions were received and another four late submissions were tabled at the hearing, with four submitters requesting to be heard by the Hearing Panel.
The hearings and consideration of all submissions were undertaken on 9 April 2010. The panel was chaired by Mayor Parker and all Councillors were panel members.
The inclusion of additional roads was specifically mentioned in submissions; namely,
Manchester Street, Helmores Lane, Rossall Street and the one-lane section of Deans Avenue. A further consultation was carried out with the residents on these streets before the Council added them to the bylaw.
As Christchurch City Council is the first local government authority to implement a cruising bylaw under the new legislation, the Council decided to write to the Minister of Transport about some of its concerns regarding the current national legislation, including the requirement for intensive signage and to urge the Government to reduce the allowable noise limits for motor vehicles to 90 decibels.
Media Release 27 May 2010 from Christchurch City Council.