A local woman who has been advocating for more pedestrian crossings in Wānaka says Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is not doing enough, despite its promises of ‘more news soon’.

Heather Clay told the Wānaka App she has been calling for more pedestrian crossings for the past few years, for all those who have challenges crossing a road.

“I have everyone in mind but those living with disability relating to cognitive and/or sensory impairment, the very young and the elderly, are my focus,” she said.

Heather’s experience living with disability and her work in healthcare and elderly care mean “disability access is highlighted in my head”, she said.

She said she believes pedestrian crossings are needed on McDougall Street near the Wānaka Community Hub, on Brownston Street, Helwick Street and Ardmore Street.

Without them, many members of the community are left unable to meet basic needs like getting to the supermarket, pharmacy and the like, she said.

“Shared pathways, raised speed bumps and traffic islands are not safe enough for this population.”

Heather says the responses she has received from QLDC about her concerns are not encouraging, and she is wary of a QLDC’s promise of more information coming in May.

A QLDC representative said the minor improvements programme in the ten-year plan includes “a number of crossing points in Wānaka and the wider district”.

However, they could not provide any further information on what kind of crossings they would be, their number or their location, as the budget has not been “unbundled”.

“This is an ongoing process and there’ll be an update for the community at the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board workshop next month,” the representative said. “It’s currently a work in progress.”