Tamaki Car Parks Removed

 

Auckland Transport will remove four car parking spaces on Tamaki Drive late tonight.

I rate Auckland Transport 10/10 so far for moving so fast. This is only its 19th day.

Compared to the slow ponderous factionised council meetings and endless joint hui to try to reach a compromise in the past on such issues, Auckland Transport is addressing issues as fast as Rodney Hide promised when he said there were too many bodies involved in making even a simple decision for Auckland.

The carparks being removed are around the area of the fatal accident involving the cyclist earlier this week.

Auckland Transport Road Corridor Operations Manager Andrew Allen says the car parks will be removed from Tamaki Drive on the corner near Kelly Tarltons.

“Parked cars on that stretch of road contribute towards the creation of a pinch point for cyclists.

“This is an immediate step that will improve cycle safety.”

Other measures to improve safety already announced by Auckland Transport are:

  • A review of the Tamaki Rd/Ngapipi Rd intersection with a view to signalising it
  • Widening the footpath by possibly constructing a boardwalk along the northern side of Tamaki Drive to accommodate both cyclists and pedestrians off road
  • Improve public awareness through targeted education campaigns around sharing of the road space.

Earlier today the transport minister got agitated when a cycling advocate suggestedthe government did not care.

Steven Joyce said he wanted to make it clear he genuinely was upset by this week’s series of cycling accidents.

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8 Comments

 
  1. Sam says:

    this is the sort of quick action that Auckland Transport was set up for. 3 days really isn’t bad to plan and complete something like this

  2. karl says:

    The next step needs to be a formalised improvement, but taking them out is a reasonable quick fix.

  3. DanC says:

    Would it be an option do have a cycle lane beside railway tracks or is this a silly idea? Looking at google maps a track beside the eastern line from the CBD to Panmure would be an easy ride and away from cars.

  4. Urban Local says:

    There were plans for a cycle route along sections of the Western Line in the former Waitakere CC jurisdiction. But unfortunately these plans faded into the mist. Cycle routes alongside rail lines would be great in terms of providing a gradual gradient (other issues asside).

  5. max says:

    Dan - no, it would be a good idea. Very good in fact BUT it will not (and should not!) reduce the cycling on Tamaki Drive so significantly that the motorists would be happy! After all, one of the reasons Tamaki Drive sees so many accidents is that it has 200,000 cycle trips per year!!!

    Regarding the rail route, there is already a small part of that done - you can ride a relatively wide shared boardwalk from Orakei to Meadowbank. No good for sports cyclists, but recreational and some commuter cyclists will like it. That could be the nucleus for a new route.

    Urban local, the Waitakere rail cycle route plans are not fully dead. BUT Waitakere had trouble getting enough funding (partly because of the lack NZTA co-funding left in the - very small - pot). So instead they proceeded with their schemes on Triangle Road and Central Park Drive, and some other smaller ones, and that is all they could afford in the short run. Under the current Council, it would be great if those plans could be revived.

  6. [...] was pleased to read that four carparks outside Kelly Tarlton’s were immediately removed, making the road safer for bike riders. I was really disappointed, though, to also read that Cycle [...]

  7. wai says:

    Great to see the carparks removed so fast on Tamaki Drive.There is still a lot of congestion on Tamaki Drive and Kohimarama Rd in the mornings.It would be great to have a small station near Selwyn/ASB/St.John’s to take some of the traffic of the roads. Roll on electric rail!

  8. [...] in Cycling General Top Debate by Jon C — November 19, 2010 at 7:09 pm | 7 comments [...]

 

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