Ask Phoebe: St Lukes merge lane will be back in just a jiffy

Photo / NZME.

Recent changes at the Northwestern Motorway Western Springs westbound off-ramp, where one turns left into St Lukes Rd, has reduced the merge lane to little more than a conventional left turn. The net effect is that the queue of traffic to use the off-ramp during the evening peak frequently extends over 2km, reaching back to the Newton Rd on-ramp. Will the long merge lane be reinstated at the end of the construction? When will that happen? Bill Hansen, Mt Albert.

A timely question. The reduction in the westbound off-ramp merge lane on to St Lukes Rd is temporary and will be reinstated, similar to how it was, from Tuesday, April 7. The merge lane has been temporarily removed to enable work to be completed on St Lukes Rd leading up to the western side of the St Lukes overbridge and the westbound on-ramp. Unfortunately, because of the available road space, it has not been possible to maintain the length of the existing merge lane and complete the work at the same time. There are signs in the area to alert drivers of the temporary change in the road layout.

While doing family research on the electoral rolls I have found my Kenny family listed from 1905 to 1919 at 58 Grey St, and from 1928 until 1935 at 58 Greys Ave. Both are shown as Central Auckland. Are these the same or did this street have a name change about the 1920s, or was there another street that now doesn't show up on Google Earth?

Wally Bilton, Hamilton

The best I can do is to advise that Greys Ave in central Auckland was known as Grey St until October 3, 1927. It became part of Aotea Square in 1976, and is almost certainly named after Sir George Grey.

I was stopped at a red light in a right-turning lane at a multi-lane intersection when an ambulance with its emergency lights and siren on stopped behind me. Because of vehicles on each side of me, there was no room for me to move left or right to let the ambulance through. Was I correct in believing I should wait for the green light before moving forward into the intersection and somehow making room for the ambulance to pass? To do so against the red light could cause a crash.

Bert Jackson, Auckland.

The Road Code states clearly that when an emergency vehicle is coming towards you or approaching from behind with lights and/or sirens, you must pull over and stop if necessary. Failure to do so may result in a fine. However, if it is impossible to pull over, as in the situation you describe, it does no one any good to put yourself and others in danger by moving off against a red light. Of course, if you can do so safely, with no vehicles coming the other way, you should do so.

Drivers of emergency vehicles can see and judge what the traffic is doing at intersections, and will make allowances as the situation demands.