Get moving: Suburbs not for trucks

Q. We live in a narrow street and have a problem with trucks parking on it taking up over half of the width of the road giving rise to safety issues. What is the legal position regarding the parking of trucks on suburban streets? Lee-Ann Kritos, Massey.

A. In Waitakere City trucks can park on any road as long as they do so legally and that means displaying a red light to the rear during the night. In some places bylaws prohibit trucks parking in suburban streets. In Manukau City there is a ban on trucks parking in certain residential areas while North Shore City has a ban on heavy goods vehicles parking anywhere in residential areas between 9pm and 7am.

Q. The southbound lanes on the Southern Motorway reduce from three to two at Manurewa and during peak hours and in particular on Friday evenings or the day before a long weekend traffic often backs up to the East Tamaki or even the Mt Wellington off ramps. What measures are being taken to widen the motorway south of Manurewa to ease this? Brian Nicol, Manurewa.

A. Transit NZ has three projects in the pipeline relating to the Southern Motorway between Manurewa and Papakura. To ease the merge problem at Hill Rd the lane arrangements at the Takanini interchange must be addressed requiring the widening of three separate bridges and extending a third lane back to Hill Rd - a complex project.

In the meantime Transit is considering extending the merge lengths at Hill Rd. Longer term six lanes to Papakura are being considered as part of the likely development of the Hingaia Peninsula.

Q. A couple of years ago the Northcote Rd end of Sunnybrae Rd in Northcote was widened enabling a better flow of traffic turning left towards the Northern Motorway and Takapuna.

But now the bottom of Sunnybrae Rd and surrounding streets has turned into a parking nightmare. In the mornings AUT buses squeeze their way across Sunnybrae Rd, people park and run for the buses and, most annoyingly, the widened part of the road is blocked up with parked cars.

It is infuriating to be in the bus with the left hand turn into Northcote Rd blocked by parked cars. At the end of the day it is just as bad. Why are cars allowed to park in the widened area? Gilda Hebden, Hillcrest.

A. North Shore City Council is aware of what they call "the situation" and have been monitoring it. No action has been taken so far although things are "under review".

Once the status of a residential proposal for part of a car park used by the AUT becomes clear the council will be in a better position to act. "We will...make changes as deemed appropriate," says council's group manager of transport infrastructure, Phil Consedine.


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