Ask Phoebe: Fix for Papakura mess on the way

Papakura motorway exit. Photo / Martin Sykes

What is happening with the Papakura offramp from the motorway? Are the powers that be going to put in traffic lights? It seems such a mess. At peak times the inside lane on the motorway has traffic stopped on it waiting to exit at Papakura. If you want to turn right off the motorway exit to head towards Karaka, which has a growing population because of new subdivisions going in, it is virtually impossible because of the traffic lights controlling traffic further down the road and the brow of the motorway bridge obscuring traffic.

We have started avoiding the Papakura off-ramp and get off at Drury, get back on the motorway and drive back to Papakura. This involves extra petrol and mileage. This situation is now at crisis point in my opinion, and yet nothing appears to be happening. Will you check it out for me? Pauline Nelson, Manurewa.

It's all good news. The Transport Agency is planning extensive improvements at the Papakura interchange to improve its safety and provide better connections for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The improvements include a second overbridge, another northbound on-ramp to complement the existing motorway access, upgrades to all on- and off-ramps to make them longer and wider to accommodate more vehicles and eliminate delays, the installation of ramp signals and new sets of traffic signals, and much better access for walkers and cyclists. The agency is working on the final design, and it expects to start construction at the end of the year. The project is jointly funded by the NZTA and Auckland Transport.

I live in the west and work in the east. I am fortunate in being close to the rail corridor at both ends, unfortunate in that sometimes quite lengthy waits at Britomart between services give me a 70-90 minute commute each way (compared with 35 minutes by car
provided I avoid traffic build-up in rush hour). Last week, while biding my time at Britomart, electronic signs advised that because of a rugby game at Eden Park on Saturday, westbound services would terminate at Kingsland. Come the World Cup in a few months, will loyal rail users be abandoned in favour of rugby patrons? What are the plans to get public transport users west of the CBD? Nicola North, Oratia.

A spokesman for Auckland Transport says that during big events at Eden Park, including the Rugby World Cup, normal rail services will be maintained as far as possible. Replacement rail bus services are always provided and passengers advised well in advance. Buses replace trains between Britomart and Morningside stations from around the second half of a game so trains can be set up for moving large numbers of passengers after the game. Having nine sets of trains waiting between Kingsland and Morningside stations enables trains to leave for the CBD every five minutes from Kingsland and for the west every 10 minutes from Morningside.