Walkers to get right of way

More streets could become more pedestrian-friendly. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Prepare to share a little bit more, Auckland. Slow-speed streets where pedestrians have the right of way have become a feature of the central city and more streets could become more pedestrian-friendly.

An Auckland Council spokesman could not give details about which, if any, streets had been identified as potential shared spaces, but said affected businesses would be consulted before any changes.

Seven central Auckland streets - Darby, Elliott, Fort, Lorne, Federal and O'Connell Sts, and Fort Lane - are shared spaces. O'Connell St only switched in September and Federal St early last month.

Vehicles can only stop in those streets for five-minute loading, deliveries and drop-offs between 6am and 11pm. A total of 13,572 tickets were issued to motorists between January 2011 and September this year for illegally parking in the city's five original shared streets.

That raked in almost half a million dollars in fines for the council's transport arm, Auckland Transport.

Its spokesman, Mark Hannan, said some of the $480,083 collected included towing fees. The rest of the money went into the roading network. Just under half the tickets were issued in Elliott St, which runs between Wellesley St West and Victoria St West and is the site of Smith and Caughey's department store and the Atrium on Elliott shopping centre.

The number of tickets issued in Elliott St spiked at 2080 last year but fell to 1336 in the nine months to September this year. Those penalised have paid more than $212,000 in fines since January 2011.

Hannan said there had been problems on the street for some time.

"Elliott St is the busiest, especially around lunchtime and 4pm-6pm as people pick up passengers from the surrounding office buildings."

Shared spaces infringements

• Darby St: Issued: 1339; paid $45,760

• Elliott St: Issued: 5967; paid: $212,678

• Fort Lane: Issued: 1770; paid: $61,708

• Fort St: Issued: 2758; paid: $93,485

• Lorne St: Issued: 1738; paid: $66,452

Total: Issued: 13,572;
Paid: $480,083

Source: Auckland Transport (fines include towing fees)