Faulty lane markings on a busy east Auckland bridge resulted in numerous near-misses for motorists and assurances are being sought the problem is fixed and won’t happen again.
Some motorists using the right-hand lane on Panmure Bridge travelling away from Pakuranga have found themselves almost crashing into an oncoming vehicle using the same lane at the point where traffic turns right to travel up Church Road to Panmure.
The issue has been raised on numerous occasions on local community Facebook pages, with people saying the road markings or layout is confusing, while others say drivers need to pay more attention.
Howick Local Board deputy chairperson Bo Burns raised the matter with Auckland Transport (AT) after receiving complaints from local motorists.
She received a response from AT’s customer care team just prior to Christmas that said the bridge’s dynamic lane had been temporarily disabled and there was only a single lane westbound, heading away from Pakuranga.
“This was because we identified a fault where a critical row of illuminated studs was not functioning, which caused the lane issue to worsen.
“Disabling the lane has removed the safety issue, however it does increase congestion in the morning peak.
“We are working on identifying the fault so repairs can be carried out.
“We have also engaged with a contractor to make some changes to the existing road markings to help with congestion.”
Burns received an update from AT a short time later saying its network organisation team had confirmed it was set for dynamic morning peak operation.
“The appropriate lane markings removed and LEDs lit up as appropriate. All should be running smoothly now.”
Howick Local Board chairperson Damian Light says ensuring the community is safe remains a top priority for the board, as reflected in its Local Board Plan.
“While I understand no one was injured [due to the lane issue], it concerns me that critical safety infrastructure failed, especially in the hectic period before Christmas.
“I’m grateful deputy Bo Burns escalated this with AT and the issue was resolved before someone was hurt.
“We will be seeking assurances from AT that preventative maintenance is in place to ensure there is no recurrence.”
Light says throughout the Eastern Busway project, the board has advocated for a strong focus on safety and raised issues with AT as the highest priority.
“As the project moves into the next phase, which will see more construction in busy neighbourhoods, this focus on keeping people safe will become even more important.
“The board received a safety update from the Eastern Busway project team just prior to Christmas and will continue to actively monitor throughout its delivery.”
Issues with the bridge’s dynamic lane were causing problems as recently as January 17, when Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown posted on social media that AT told him the LED lights at the Panmure end had failed again, resulting in traffic congestion.
“This has unfortunately forced us to put the bridge back into its safe operational mode of single lane each direction,” the agency told Brown.
AT will keep the bridge’s lanes in a particular configuration until the LED lights are repaired or replaced.
