Bus drivers see Auckland traffic woes up close

Comment by RICHARD ALPE

Auckland City councillors and traffic engineers have their heads stuck in the sand when it comes to improving traffic flow around the city.

Their failure to actually do anything progressive to improve the situation is an insult to ratepayers.

Auckland City has an antiquated, out-of-date "clearway" system that urgently needs changing, and it seems business interests and providing parking are more important than getting the traffic moving.

The following is a true story:

I drive a bus and noted that it took an extraordinary time to drive down Mt Albert Rd to the New North Rd intersection with a bus full of old-age pensioners and schoolkids, all of them trying to get home.

It is 3.15pm on a weekday and, as we crawl along, I see the problem: cars parked in bus clearways that begin at 4pm.

Wanting to help keep traffic moving, I ring the Auckland City traffic engineer responsible for Mt Albert Rd. The conversation goes like this:

"Hello, Richard Alpe here. There is a major holdup every day at the Mt Albert Rd/New North Rd intersection because the clearway signs read 4-6pm. Is it possible to get the signs changed to read 3pm-6pm."

Response: "Well, you see Auckland City Council has a city-wide policy for clearways of 4-6pm."

Alpe: "Don't lie to me."

Response: "I beg your pardon."

Alpe: "You know and I know that Dominion Rd starts off with 4-6pm signs and halfway down the signs change to 4.30-6pm. Mt Eden's clearway is for one hour - 4.30-5.30pm."

Silence on the phone.

Alpe: "Are you there?" Response: "Aah, yes. I'll see what we can do. We will look into it."

That was 12 months ago. Nothing has changed.

A major problem, getting out of the city in rush-hours, also needs addressing. It would help if the council ordered clearway signs for 3-6pm and put them up immediately on major roads out of the city.

Cars should not be allowed to park on such roads as Khyber Pass, Manukau Rd, Mt Eden Rd, Upper Queen St, and Hobson St, for example.

The bus service deserves proper continuous bus lanes, not the stop-start short sections such as those on Mt Eden Rd around the Balmoral lights.

It is time Mayor John Banks looked out of his window during the afternoon rush-hours. He would see Upper Queen St crammed with buses and cars.

Banning cars from parking in this major route out of town would allow for a bus lane or clearway to transport thousands of people up and out of the city.

Another example of poor planning is the bus-stop at the St James, a pickup point for hundreds of people wanting to get home.

But the council has put a six-car taxi rank in Wellesley St East where it blocks the left-hand lane, so buses are often delayed turning into Queen St. It should be a two-cab rank at most.

The chairman of the council's Transport Committee, Greg McKeown, says public transport planning and delivery is fragmented. How right he is.

Talk to a few bus drivers and we can show you how, for little cost, we can get Auckland moving again.