Upgrade uncertainty ‘erodes confidence’

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Board chair Toni van Tonder said both it and the community wanted the project put back on track. “We don’t want it deferred – it will be three or four years down the track anyway before we see anything.”

Waka Kotahi funding for an associated cycleway on Bayswater Ave was lost recently.

Since a corridor management plan was drawn up in 2015, delays and uncertainty had plagued the Esmonde Rd-Lake Rd project, van Tonder said. The public was tired of the subject and the board felt it had been in the dark.

“It erodes confidence in Auckland Transport and Auckland Council and they [the public] think we are all full of hot air.”

Mein said AT hoped to deliver the cycleway

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On Esmonde Rd, the plan is to implement a T2 transit lane to link with the motorway.

Van Tonder said the board wanted to be better kept in the loop. It had learned only late in the piece of the loss of cycle lane funding.

It was last updated by AT officials in person in October and has been calling for more information since. “Today, nothing.”

The board agreed to write a letter to Waka Kotahi restating its support for the work and has given the same message to Auckland Council.

Asked what AT had in mind if the project fell out of the Regional Land Transport Plan’s staged budget, Mein said: “There’s no Plan B.” The focus was on pushing the case.

Ram-raided... The boarded frontage of Maggie Jiang’s Tonkin Dr dairy after it was targeted again by thieves

Mel Powell said dealing with the aftermath of such crimes was doubly tough on immigrants who might struggle dealing with authorities. Powell helped Jiang with a phone call to speed reconnection of Eftpos.

• Board member George Wood won support from fellow members in asking for another meeting with police over crime concerns. Wood told the board’s monthly meeting that the North Shore lacked police presence. The response to Jiang’s April break-in, when police did not attend, was also poor.

Observer recognised in awards

The Rangitoto Observer has been judged runner-up Best Community Newspaper in New Zealand.

The award was announced at an industry event in Auckland last Friday.

After a celebratory evening our small team remains as committed as ever to covering the stories that matter.

This week, for example, we revisit the ongoing high toll of flooding and crime, and keep tabs on big developments and council decision-making. But we also aim to offer inspiration and enjoyment.

We hope you agree with the award judge’s view of the free paper as one that “I would very much like to sit down with and devour while having my morning cup of coffee.” The judge continued: “As well as good quality and far-reaching general news stories, the Observer pays good attention to sport and the arts in welllabelled sections.”

We can only do this due to the support of our advertisers. We thank them all. For those thinking of advertising: we offer a targeted local platform – and now independent confirmation of our quality. The Observer launched in 2019. We have navigated challenging times, proudly publishing through the pandemic. Along with our 30-year-old sister paper, the Devonport Flagstaff, we are determined to continue serving our communities. Here’s to many more coffee dates with our valued readers.

– Janetta Mackay, Editor

Motorists ‘still speeding’ through low-speed zones

Motorists speeding through Sunnynook’s 30km/h zones have alarmed local daycare operators and parents.

The “phenomenal speeds” reached by some vehicles heading down Tonkin Drive posed a real risk to children crossing to the Our Family Early Learning centre, owner Debby Evans told the Observer.

Vehicles coming from Juniper Rd accelerated down the steep slope on Tonkin Dr.

“We’re worried not only about the speed of cars coming down the hill but also someone coming through the fence.”

Evans said the centre had even placed an equipment shed against the corner of the fence that faces the street as a “precaution”.

On one occasion a speeding car coming downhill mounted the kerb next to the fence when swerving away from a potential accident, she said.

In other close calls, vehicles had nearly hit children and parents as they crossed the street.

Evans said other daycare centres in the hilly suburb shared her concern.

Auckland Transport (AT) last year imposed a Safe Speed zone around local schools and daycares, in response to residents’ concerns and its own monitoring of speeding.

But a parent, who did not wish to be named, told the Observer that after an initial drop in speeds when the lower limit came into force, motorists had reverted to their former ways.

Evans said speed humps had been installed at the other end of Tonkin Dr towards Lyford Cres, but were also needed above her daycare centre, to slow traffic coming from the other direction.

Signage was also needed at the Juniper Rd end of Tonkin Dr.

Asked about the issue, AT acknowledged that motorists were still speeding on Juniper Rd and said that if monitoring indicated signage was ineffective it would consider additional signs or other measures.

For now, however, it had decided not to install more signs, and had no plans to install more speed humps. Most drivers in the area were locals who were aware of the 30km/h limit.

AT suggested residents who noticed speeding at particular times or by a particular vehicle could contact police, who “may choose to carry out targeted enforcement in the area”.