More than 2400 people have signed a petition calling for a plan to install raised crossings on Ti Rakau Drive as part of the Eastern Busway project to be scrapped.
The petition was launched by Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown, who opposes the Auckland Transport (AT) proposal to build two raised safety platforms near the future Gossamer and Pakuranga Stations, while a raised pedestrian crossing would be placed at the Edgewater Station.
They’re intended to help people safely get across Ti Rakau Drive by calming the speed of traffic without causing significant delays.
Several hundred people turned out to a public meeting Brown hosted in Pakuranga in April to hear about the plan from AT and Eastern Busway Alliance officials.
The officials said the crossings would be just 75mm high and would add eight seconds to a vehicle’s travel time when traffic is flowing freely.
Brown recently presented his petition with a letter on the issue to AT chief executive Dean Kimpton.
His letter describes the “speed bumps” planned for Ti Rakau Drive as “unnecessary” and states they provide “no real benefit while having a detrimental impact on non-busway traffic”.
“It will dramatically increase congestion and cause significant traffic-flow disruption for those who choose to drive, or those who have to drive.”
The busway purports to ease congestion and improve access to the South Eastern Highway at the Ti Rakau Drive and Reeves Road intersection, “yet such improvements will be negated by these speed bumps which will slow everybody down”, Brown’s letter says.
“East Aucklanders have been patiently waiting whilst engaging in years of consultation on the design of the Eastern Busway and deserve better than having the long-awaited project undermined by these unnecessary and detrimental changes.
“I urge you to consider this petition indicating this strong community opposition and to stop these speed bumps from going ahead.”
Brown told the Times he’s “very grateful” to the 2408 people who signed the petition.
“Ti Rakau Drive is a critically important arterial road and should not have speed bumps installed on it.
“We’ve now submitted that petition to Auckland Transport’s chief executive and we’re hoping for a common sense solution and answer to this problem.”
He wants AT to consider alternative solutions that increase safety at the crossing points without making congestion on Ti Rakau Drive worse, such as better signage and lighting and other measures.
“I’m hopeful but I’m not holding my breath,” he says.
“The reality is we’re seeing AT make decisions like this all over Auckland.
“Unless there’s public outcry and pushback, they continue with it, so it’s critically important everyone who signed the petition did so.
“We have to continue to put the pressure on them.”
Brown says he expects to get an update on the issue from AT in May.
“I’ll then be encouraging them to explain that to the community.
“They need to be accountable and responsible to the people who pay their salaries through their rates and taxes.”
The AT officials who attended Brown’s public meeting in Pakuranga told the audience they’d take their feedback on board and come back with an update at a later date.
