Motoring down the T2 on Akoranga Drive, hey, there's my exit. Whoomph, there it is - a fine. Sophie Bond reports.
It's 4.30pm on a weekday and cars jam Akoranga Drive in Northcote. A driver who rolls along beside the T2 lane, can see her exit coming up and indicates
a left turn. She guesses she's about 50m from her road - now she can use the T2 lane legally. All she needs is someone to let her in. But the traffic's carrying her too quickly, her three-second window of opportunity is gone and her turn-off flashes by.
Li Jun Qui knows this situation all too well. Until a couple of months ago she lived in College Rd and had to turn left into it from Akoranga Drive on her way home.
"Because the T2 lane is on the left-hand side I have to get into it to turn," she says, adding that it's difficult to find a gap in the traffic with only 50m for the manoeuvre.
"At rush hour the cars won't give way. Sometimes I have missed the turn-off and have had to go straight on and do a U-turn."
In February, Miss Qui was fined $150 for using the T2 lane at more than 50m from the intersection with College Rd. She says she wrote to North Shore City Council four times explaining how difficult she found it to slow down and get into the left lane with only 50m. Still, the council made her pay.
Miss Qui has since moved and says she's relieved not to have to contend with Akoranga Drive traffic.
"The T2 lane should be longer ... You only have a couple of seconds to let people know you want to turn."
Amritlal Baluda's wife was also fined for using the T2 lane. Mr Baluda says she got stuck in the lane after turning out of a driveway.
"There was so much traffic nobody would let her into the other lane. She started to panic. It's not easy when you're elderly and you don't want to be in an accident." He says writing to the council did no good and the couple ended up paying the $150 fine.
Takapuna Community Board has received many complaints from drivers who were issued infringement notices for using the T2 lane. It has suggested to North Shore City Council that the T2 lane become a clearway between 4pm and 6pm. Chairman Martin Lawes says the T2 lane is underused. "Only 20 per cent of the traffic travelling along Akoranga is in the T2 lane."
He says the board fully supports the proposed change. "Forget the revenue-gathering, turn it into a clearway and assist the traffic flow."
North Shore City Council passenger transport manager Bill Drager says a decision has yet to be made on how the Akoranga T2 lane will operate.
He says the council has made some improvements to traffic signals and is now looking at what else can be done.
"A report with recommendations will go to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in September. I'm pretty sure we will be bringing back the end of the T2 lane as we need to take into account the entrances and exits."
It takes 2
Between 4pm and 6pm, only cars with at least two occupants, buses, cyclists and motorcyclists may use the T2 lane on Akoranga Drive. Other drivers needing to use the lane may do so only for a stretch of 50m.