Ask Phoebe: Weekend overnighters at bus parks accepted

On a Friday or Saturday night there is no real problem if people leave their cars at the Park and Ride, says Falconer. Photo / Thinkstock

Car can stay on Friday or Saturday but must be gone by Monday.

I intend to go into Auckland using the Albany Park and Ride and taking the bus into the city. I plan to leave on a Saturday and stay overnight, returning to the Park and Ride on Sunday. Can I leave my car at Albany overnight without fear of it being removed or is this not permissible? Mary Sharples, Albany.

The waters are slightly muddy here. The rules say no overnight parking.

This is because of the need to have the car parks available for the next day. When the rule was decided, no distinction was made between week days and weekends.

On a Friday or Saturday night there is no real problem if people leave their cars at the Park and Ride.

So we need to be clear:

•The rules say no overnight parking, but:

•There is no harm on a weekend and enforcement would not occur.

•Auckland Transport does not guarantee the safety of the vehicle on its sites (all care, no responsibility).

•AT will take action on the Monday if the car is still there.

Since the western rail line was shut briefly over the holidays the trains sound much louder than they used to, particularly late in the evenings. Are they using different trains, are they actually louder or did we get used to the quiet while they were not running? Trish Gubb, Auckland.

The trains are the same (same locomotives, same rolling stock and so on) and so is the timetable, so there is no change in the operation. There was work done to the rail tracks over the Christmas shutdown, which is continuing. This work improves the way trains interact with the rail.

It may make for a change in the noise of wheel-on-rail for a short time, but should not make it louder. In fact, it should have the opposite effect as it smoothes the rail.

I wonder if we notice the trains more in the summertime because we are outdoors more and have our windows open. Just a thought.

I am appalled to find Auckland Transport has now sanctioned the development of a drinking establishment at the Rob Roy, across a broad area of the plaza at the bottom of Franklin Rd, infringing on public space and seating only recently installed and the footpath, where a minimum of 1.2 metres is all that is required for pedestrian thoroughfare. This is without consultation and woefully disproportionate. How does AT have this jurisdiction? Do these standards conform to other council regulations? What avenues are there for complaint? David Hill, Auckland.

Let's get a few things straight here. The Rob Roy, now known as the Birdcage, is owned by the NZ Transport Agency, not Auckland Transport. The ground floor will open tomorrow as a bistro, not a drinking establishment, which it historically was.

The lease has been finalised with Bruno's Restaurant, whose principals are the former owners of Iguacu in Parnell, in consultation with Auckland Council and Auckland Transport.

The plaza in front of the building will remain a public area. The top floor of the building has been leased to commercial interests.

Complaints about the usage of the building should be addressed to NZTA, Private Bag 106 602, Auckland.