Onewa Rd business owners are angry at what they say is a lack of communication from Auckland Transport on the proposed T3 lane extension.
Public feedback is being sought over a proposal to turn the west-bound Onewa Rd lane into a T3.
The proposed T3 lane will run between Church St and Birkenhead Ave in the evening commuter peak between 4pm and 6pm. A T3 transit lane already operates east-bound on Onewa during morning peak.
Flowers on Onewa owner Ron Suyker has worked in the area for 21 years and says several retailers are angry about the proposal.
“It’s not a simple case of putting in a lane and going ‘that’s all well and good’.”
The former council made designated time-restricted car parking for Mr Suyker’s flower shop on Onewa Rd “for decades” but now plans to shift it into a side street between 4pm and 6pm.
He worries traffic diverted into Seaview Ave will perform three-point turns and block driveways in the narrow street where the designated parks will go.
“It’s putting them into a residential side street which is not designed for that carry-on.”
Commuters already use Seaview as a “pseudo park and ride”, he says, meaning even more traffic will block up the side street.
Auckland Transport media liaison Mark Hannan says: “The car parks on Onewa Rd will not be available between 4pm and 6pm but alternative time-restricted parking will be available in Seaview Ave and Wernham Place.”
Mr Hannan says Auckland Transport will consult with affected business owners.
Many have been given consultation packs outlining the proposed changes, he says.
Mr Suyker disputes Auckland Transport’s research on traffic use on Onewa Rd, saying 41 per cent of people commuting will travel in 7 per cent of the vehicles using the T3 lane.
Around 93 per cent of all vehicles travelling west-bound between 4pm and 6pm will be forced into the non-T3 lane, he says.
Mr Hannan responds: “A T3 lane moves the most people in the shortest time.
“Forty one per cent of the people who use Onewa Rd are in a bus and each bus has an average of 41 passengers. Add people in cars with three or more people and we account for 48 per cent of people who use Onewa Rd.”
Mr Suyker has started a petition against the T3 lane in his store.
Information on Auckland Transport’s website regarding the T3 lane has been updated.
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Written by: JESS ETHERIDGE
Published: Auckland Now – North Shore Times