Push to continue green light for Kate Sheppard

Push to continue green light for Kate Sheppard

Wellington's deputy mayor has criticised a fellow councillor for a "scaremongering campaign" to help keep the green Kate Sheppard pedestrian crossing lights.

A petition was launched to keep the lights around Wellington's Parliament precinct after the year-long trial comes to an end, but the council and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) say there is no controversy around keeping them.

Councillor and mayoral aspirant Nicola Young was handing out flyers in the CBD this morning pushing for the lights to stay.

The lights were installed last year to mark 121 years since New Zealand became the first country in the world to legalise voting for women. The historic change was the result of years of campaigning and the Women's Suffrage Petition led by Ms Sheppard.

Instead of a green man, the lights were changed to an image of Ms Sheppard.

They were rolled out at eight sets of pedestrian crossing lights around the Parliament precinct. The first were installed on September 19 and are scheduled to come down on December 31 this year.

With that deadline approaching, NZTA is now consulting with Wellington City Council about whether they will continue to get the green light.

But an agency spokesman says the lights aren't under threat and they would be meeting with the council to allow the lights to stay.

Deputy Mayor Justin Lester says Ms Young's claims about the demise of the lights aren't true and are "cynical politics" from someone wanting to take the council's top job.

He says the council is working with NZTA to continue the trial.

"We would love to see Kate Sheppard lights at more locations and are considering other Wellington luminaries in other parts of the city. No one wants to take this away, it's a made-up story.

"Wellingtonians expect our councillors to be honest and credible about what’s happening in our city, not to be deceitful and make things up to score political points and get our names in the paper," he says.

Mr Lester has called for Ms Young to apologise.

Ms Young has also been called out by those on social media saying all she is doing is building a contact list. However, she has vehemently dismissed the notion and denies it is a sham.

"I'm doing the petition because I am a city councillor. I want the best for Wellington. That is why I'm doing this petition. Lambton is my ward, these are in the heart of my ward."

Ms Young says NZTA confirming the lights would stay was the first councillors and council staff knew of the decision.

As well as the Keep Kate online petition and hashtag #keepkate, a Twitter account and Facebook page have also been set up in a bid to keep the lights.

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