Some years ago Auckland Transport created a cycleway on the berm in Old Mill Road, where earlier footpaths had been narrowed for extra stormwater absorption in those very berms. Instead of making a widened footpath a shared cycleway, they separated the new bitumen cyclepath from the concrete footpath by a narrow strip of grass. AT didn’t consider the consequences. Residents were now mowing and edging the berms so how could that possibly go wrong? The centre photo tells all. The unused cycleway has become a crooked path that went “a crooked mile”. It cost more than a “crooked sixpence” and had no style. To complete the rhyme, the little crooked house couldn’t be built of biscuits because the Tim-Tams are lying all over the road.
Whilst the overall berm size has reduced, the work required to mow it and trim the edges has increased. The zebra crossing outside the rarely used Mormon Church even has a slither of grass leading to the separate crossing for pedestrians and cyclists between the coloured braille paths that will cause a trip hazard for the sight impaired, if they haven’t already tripped over the uneven path [right photo]. The zebra crossing outside the daycare is only for pedestrians.
Who will be mowing and edging the berms when AT goes in-house? Hopefully edging won’t be with poisonous glyphosate. For ten years, there have been no glyphosate checks, no enforcement, and no accountability. New Zealand Food Safety shut down tests after finding illegally high levels of glyphosate residues on food. https://action.greenpeace.org.nz/petition/glyphosate-agrichemicals-new-open-letter
Now in the upgrading of the cycle network, in what was supposed to be road resealing, Auckland Transport have removed the 119 hitsticks, road graffiti and half-humps called ‘cushions’ from the 4 year trial in Surrey Crescent. Far from these cushions giving residents a restful night’s sleep, some have had to get double glazing to try to cut out the noise.
The central median strip is removed to make space for the cycleway. It sits between the kerb and concrete ‘Tim-Tams’ separate it from the parked cars. This is the same potential “blood sandwich” design that was rejected for Garnet Road [Gael Baldock NZHerald 7 Sept 2018]. These Tim-Tams have been proven in North Harbour, to be dangerous to both vehicles and cyclists. Driveway crossings have been extended in width, to further reduce parking, with monarch caterpillar look-a-like plastic humps that cause residents to slow to a stand-still when entering their properties.
The ‘bus stops’ in front of Grey Lynn Primary School forms an obstacle course as passengers rising from their seats in the bus shelter are challenged with dismounting the bluestone kerb into oncoming bikes then remounting a concrete Tim-Tam before being able to embark on a bus. In their wisdom AT have made the phantom bus stops, where there is no actual bus route, twice their normal length to ensure that there is almost no parent parking outside the school. Parents will still have to stop in mid-traffic where at least they will be somewhat safe on their Tim-Tam islands.
Interestly, there are still four all-day carparks outside the anti-car lobbyists’ residence. Cohaus attempted to subvert Town Planning rules by not providing off street parking. AT has considered these people to be ‘key stakeholders in the consultation process and has put their parking before a children drop-off zone for parents.
One of the residents of Old Mill Road had a drive removed outside their home without AT contacting them. The driveway had been installed 8 years ago when a tree was removed. I do hope these officers who are selective in who in the community they speak with are not transferred over to the new Council run in-house Transport division.
The other party involved in that new decision making process are the Waitematā Local Board. They have approved these works in Old Mill Road and Surrey Crescent; consultation on:
- options of a roundabout or lights at the top of the Bulllock Track that will undo some of this work that is nearing completion;
- humps and road narrowing in Warnock Street;
- a cycleway in the last block of Crummer Road leading to Ponsonby Road when there is already a new cycleway in Great North Road (my article for next month);
- a network of cycleways through the residential streets according to their spin: “The Local Active Modes Plan (LAMP) for West Waitematā, which includes Ponsonby, is a series of initiatives by Auckland Transport (AT) and the Waitematā Local Board designed to improve walking and cycling connections through low-cost "quick-win" infrastructure. The plan focuses on improving safety and accessibility in areas like Three Lamps and Ponsonby Road.” When in fact, they are actually designed to push through more unwanted cycleways before the government changes the law and it goes in-house at Auckland Council.
Gael Baldock, community advocate. GaelB@xtra.co.nz
