Night time port traffic to be re-routed from Tamaki Drive

Auckland City Council tonight agreed to change the traffic bylaw in a bid to reduce the number of heavy vehicles using Orakei Road at night.

The council agreed to ban heavy vehicles from turning left from Solent Street (at the port) into Tamaki Drive or turning right from Tamaki Drive into Solent Street between 8pm and 6am. The ban will be achieved by amending part 25.2 of the Auckland City Council Consolidated Bylaw.

The move is being made after consulting Ports of Auckland Ltd and Road Transport Association. It will take effect from Saturday 27 November 2004.

“Due to the numerous motorway closures during the construction of stage one of the central motorway junction, Orakei Road residents have tolerated an increase in heavy vehicles, especially during the night,” says Councillor Richard Simpson, Transport and Urban Linkages Committee chairperson.

On one night, video cameras recorded 160 truck movements.

“The changes are a step in the right direction to provide immediate relief for Orakei Road residents. Residents on Ngapipi and Kepa roads will benefit,” says Mr Simpson.

By preventing these turning movements from the Axis Fergusson container terminal, trucks are encouraged to leave and join the motorway at Grafton Road, Symonds Street or Khyber Pass.

“We expect the need for heavy vehicles to use this route to lessen once the central motorway junction improvements are completed early in the New Year. Our monitoring indicates that when the motorway route is open, trucks use it,” says Mr Simpson.

Council officers have worked with Ports of Auckland, the Road Transport Association and Transit New Zealand’s motorway project team Freeflow to develop the solution.

Signs reminding drivers that engine braking should not be used in Auckland city will also be erected.

© Scoop Media