Platitudes are not wanted by roading authorities
The day the Transport Minister, and NZTA launch their Road to Zero campaign does the cynicism from everyone else start piling on in against them.
Ironic or not this from Greater Auckland this morning on the Auckland Transport Board meeting tomorrow makes for some extremely damning reading about our road death toll here in Auckland:
121% increase in the Road Death Toll in Auckland for the twelve months ending September 2021 compared to 2020 and we do not even have the full calendar year 12-month figures yet.
Rather telling is that Auckland Transport (nor NZTA) can even bring themselves to admit that it is the Road Designs that are the primary problems. How?
- Wide lanes and wide roads ill-suited to the urban geography they are in (residential and commercial areas). Wide lanes and roads give the driver the impression of high speed is suitable with no amount of speed cameras able to fix that one
- Speed Limits incorrect for the respective urban geography areas (this is being dealt with slowly)
- High speed turn outs and slip lanes
- Wide radius corners at intersections which promote speed rather than sharp 90-degree angled corners at intersections (which prompt you to slow right down). An example of these kind of 90-degree angled corners can be seen on the intersection of Elliot Street and East Street in Papakura, and yes that area is an Over Dimension truck route, and the trucks all do fine
- Lack of proper separation and delineation between road users including motorists and cyclists
And I could go on.
Until Auckland Transport and NZTA acknowledge Road Design is the primary issue they will be getting nowhere and their Road to Zero will be as stuck as a car in the mud….
UPDATE: Three years of nothing
Someone has shown me this. Basically, since Road to Zero was published in 2019 the Road Toll has only gone one direction – straight up
Speaking of design? Where are the cycle lanes here (hint: get rid of the on street parking)?
Talking Southern Auckland 