Businesses fear loss of parks
A NEW plan to extend the Dominion Rd cycle lane may please peddlers but has concerned some businesses facing a change to the status quo.
Businesses at the city end of the iconic thoroughfare have been told by Auckland Transport an upgrade to the streetscape will see continuous bus lanes down the full length of the road.
The work is part of a $47 million job set to begin in mid-2014 and is aimed at improving the flow of buses and safety of cyclists on the busy route.
For most of the stretch the cycle lanes will run on streets parallel to Dominion Rd.
But in a letter to businesses, project leader Joe Schady explains that to provide a cycleway from State Highway 20 all the way to the CBD Auckland Transport will have to use the gap between View Rd and Ian McKinnon Drive for cycles.
To make way some of the street parking will need to be removed because the road is too narrow to accommodate both parking and lanes.
The plan is to put 60 minute time restrictions on car parks on Charles and Tawari streets and on the citybound side of Dominion Rd between them. Electronic signs alerting drivers to how many parks are available have also been proposed.
Currently there are no parking restrictions on Charles or Tawari streets.
Parking on the other side of Dominion Rd will be removed.
The Factory Shop manager Robyn Stoddard says she is worried about where people who work in surrounding businesses will be able to park. She met Auckland Transport planners last week and related her concerns.
‘‘They said there is traffic of 150 cyclists going past everyday but I only see three to five everyday,’’ she says.
‘‘I said what about the employers, where are we all going to park? That’s the issue we’re dealing with – we’re not Denmark, we’re not Amsterdam.’’
Kingsland Business Association boss Christine Foley says she is generally supportive of the move and it will stop ‘‘park and riders’’ driving from outer suburbs and catching the bus into town.
She says the Auckland Council has a policy to provide parking around town centres for visitors but not for people planning on staying for a full day.
‘‘I’m keen to see a resolution, especially if they have electronic sign boards. I feel that the communication aspect is very important,’’ she says. ‘‘The general idea is to encourage people to use public transport.’’
Albert-Eden Local Board member Graeme Easte believes there needs to be a range of parking options available.
‘‘I agree we need to fill the little gaps to make the cycle lanes.
‘‘If car parking in the main drag must be deleted we need to make sure there is suitable parking in the side streets.’’
He says stays should range from 10 minutes up to 120.
‘‘Getting that mix right is the trick, but otherwise I’m happy with this. People who are there for eight hours can park further away.’’