Bus lane transit NZ

[What?]

Interesting, don't you think, that Transit and the ACC appear to be at cross-purposes? The ACC wants to improve Aucklands roading, making it easier to take cars into the cbd, so more people will take cars into the cbd, so the problem now will recur in a larger fashion... And at the same time they are going ahead with the Britomart "solution".

Meanwhile, Transit want to improve the speed at which buses can get into a jam (to shave, maybe, 25 seconds off the Takapunu - cbd run??), but wish to keep bikes going slowly on the bridge when they will cut quick lines in town and take up less parking space.

I'm cofused, the ACC is confused and Transit never had a clue to begin with! Almost makes me say how pleased I am to live in Tauranga, but our council seems to be headed the same way...

[Yamahamaman]

Last time I passed through Tauranga, I thought that the place was filled with Aucklanders judging by the driving skills of the car owners.

[Urban Terrorist]

If you passed through here in the summer, Tauranga probably was filled with Aucklanders.

[MikeL]

And staying with the original topic...
What about the special "B" traffic light, as for example in Symonds Street? Does this mean "Bus only" or does it mean "any vehicle entitled to use the green bus lane?" Can I cross the intersection with impunity on this signal??

[SpankMe]

If the B is for the bus lane and bikes can use that lane, then its for us as well. I always go on the B light.

[Redstar]

latest attach the north shore city council they have consulted extensively with local ewi on the resourse management act and enviromental impact and the effect on the wetlands.
so they are happy. and they invited submittions from north shore residence so like thats at least five bikers got a chance to say something. I called holeshot Honda in the bike spot of New Zealand and they said ( no consultation but go for it mate)
salesmen! are we going to accept this?

[Redstar]

well Im getting closer to the holy grail I now have a contact at NSCC that makes the calls we are getting closer to the descision makers just hope he they have a soft spot?
I wish I had naked pictures of his wife it would make things so much easier..

[bluninja]

Naked pictures of his boyfriend or pet sheep might work better

TTFN

[Redstar]

I have the sheep ones its a black face Romney..quite cute actually

[Redstar]

the latest spin from the project director (doctor)
anyone care to translate?



Thank you for your enquiry to the Contact Us web page.

The North Shore Busway was initially conceived as a bus only facility to enable buses to avoid congestion and therefore establish reliable service schedules that would be attractive to users.

Through the project funding evaluation phase the concept of introducing HOVs into the system was introduced. High occupancy vehicles improve the person carrying capacity of the Busway and under the evaluation system that existed at the time gave the project a higher cost / benefit.

The advantage of introducing HOVs onto the Busway is that they re-enter the motorway immediately north of the Harbour Bridge and increase the number of vehicles and people travelling in Lane One.

However, no HOVs are planned to be let into the system until the capacity improvements south of the Harbour Bridge have been put in place. In particular this includes the widening of the Victoria Park viaduct and work to improve traffic movements through the central motorway junction. Unfortunately, continuing debate on the most acceptable design of the proposed improvements is delaying implementation.

Therefore, the Busway will initially run as a bus only facility , and it may be some years before HOVs get introduced into the system. Although this will be reviewed as part of the traffic management plans for this corridor .

Based on current analysis, when HOVs are pemitted to access the Busway, there would be a limit placed on the number of HOVs entering the system in the morning peak. Currently this is being set at 350vph 3+HOVs entering at Constellation station travelling southbound. The HOVs have to travel in a single lane southbound together with the buses. They pass through stations in a controlled speed environment and the 350vph was set following calculations of the safe volume that could be mixed with the bus movements.

At this time no consideration is being given to enabling other lower occupancy vehicles such as motorcycles to use the bus lane. Given the assumption that there is a limit on the number of non-bus vehicles that could safely use the system , any access to non HOVs will reduce the number of HOVs permitted. However HOVs are most likely to maximise people carrying capacity .

If the 350vph quota for 3+ HOVs could be achieved then this would meet the capacity and economic benefit targets that have been set. As bus traffic increases with patronage, it is conceivable that the HOV quota would be gradually reduced. Ideally, from a passenger transport efficiency perspective, as bus patronage grows only buses will be allowed on the bus way.

I hope this clarifies the matter for you.

Yours sincerely





Clive Fuhr
Project Director

[SPman]

Translation:

1: Buses only until spaghetti junction /Vic park flyover improvements done

2: Then upto 350 vehicles per hour with 3 or more people will be allowed to use the bus lane.

3: As more people travel by bus = more buses = fewer cars on bus lane = no cars

4: Bikes are counted as cars with 1 person on them - no account  of small size, manouverability,etc, etc. Basically - bikes fuck off, you do not feature in our plans, you are invisible!  ie - no bikes!!  

[Redstar]

I thought as much but are we going to take this?

can we fix it?

I think so Bob.

Now I will move to phase 2 of my plan of attack..

MUM!

[Redstar]

Phase 2 right .. sorted thanks mum..
there is going to be a petition.. we need 64,000 signatures to it so that is every biker in NZ plus there extended families and friends. watch this space...

[Redstar]

Well I have been to busy of late but finally got around to a reply to the NSCC I do wonder if this is a crusade of one?
If I can get in front of the committee or something am I going alone?
Hey what about Ride on ride off buses?



Clive Fuhr
Project Director
North Shore Busway Project
North Shore City Council


Dear Clive

Re: Your Reply to my letter dated 26th May 2003


Many thanks for taking the trouble to acknowledge my initial submission on this matter.

I would also like to qualify any implied criticisms of the projects scope with a general acknowledgement of the merits of any strategy, which attempts to alleviate the congestion experienced on the Northern Motorway.

My Family and I initially moved to the Hibiscus coast some ten years ago from Hamilton and at that time a traffic jam on the Northern rarely extended north of Tristram Avenue but now is rarely not less than Greville road but I’m sure you are well aware of all of this?

Substantively this growth in traffic numbers is a direct reflection of the infill development housing policies of both North Shore and Rodney District Council.

To what extent any improvements in commuter traffic flow both directly and through increased use of public transport will improve the situation will be interesting to realise.

If I were a gambling person I would suggest that an initial improvement will naturally be realised by the Busway but the Motorway congestion may quickly re-establish itself due to factors of continued development infill and a back swing from the Busway as it frees motorway congestion.

To take a more long term Holistic approach to the problem would surely take into consideration the promotion of discouragement of the use of Cars into the City of Auckland and surely the use of two wheeled transport must play a legitimate part in any sensible strategy for the future?

There is a lot of hysteria about the dangers of two-wheeled transport but statistically straight-line motorway riding does not figure highly in the crash statistics and the hysteria is often fuelled by myth and unfairly marginalizes us as a group.

I was quite bemused at your honest admittion the no consideration had been given to the addition of motorcycles into this project planning. It was not a surprising disclosure but it assumes that the Motorcyclist were not given an appropriate level of representation?
It is also important to note that the highest percentage growth in motor vehicle registrations last year was in the two wheeled group and so clearly the frustrated car drivers will turn to two wheel by default given increasing frustration with commuting times.

On the basis of the arguments offered thus far as to why Motorcycles shall be excluded from the transit busway it appears to be based on supposition and assumption of the probable outcomes of the Busway operation but not on any tangible or challengeable statistical evaluation?


Where to from Here?

I have offered to take this issue on behalf of a group of Motorcyclists and we would like a little more than dismissal of our inquiry as a non-starter.

We would like to know if there are any channels of communication and consultation left open to us to promote our case for consideration.

We would perhaps be able to add value to the process through consultation as we can offer suggestions as to how Traffic congestion could be reduced

Perhaps you would allow some integrated experimentation on initial opening with control groups to prove the theory of safety and restriction thus far assumption only?

For my part I have as yet avoided the lobby approach to this issue preferring first to understand the issues and offer consultative involvement. It is of note that the leading centre of the Motorcycle trade in New Zealand probable resides on your very doorstep in Barry’s Point Road and naturally Bikespot attracts more than a fair share of supporters for my stance on most of the highlighted issues.

Do we have any voice in the discussion comment raised?

If you could please advise of any recourse I have to further consultation on this issue or otherwise.


Yours sincerely

[Duke of Rogan]

I just joined this forum, and after reading this thread I feel better that other's from Orc-land's northshore are trying to get the council and all others involved to change their attitudes to bikes.

I travel every day to work along the above mentioned crap piece of road, and I have resorted to passing the stationary single-occupant cars in the right lane, on the right, however sometimes outside the painted "fog-line" as the cop who stopped me this morning called it (no ticket, just a warning and a general discussion of how f**ked it is we can't use the bus lane, and what was the fasted I had got me bike to )

anyway, I just posted this to another thread before, and I believe that with the intended changes to the Land Transport Road User Rules, it may be possible to legally use this method to overtake, as there is no mention of staying entirely within a lane.
http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/legislation/...ule/index.html

but using the bus lane would be far better.

I'm with you Redstar!