Ask Phoebe: Bus lane solution in the works

When approaching Market Place from Fanshawe St coming off the bridge, the bus lane ends and there is a "left lane, left turn into Market Place only" sign. Immediately after the junction the bus lane picks up again. Can buses go straight on from the left lane (which seems sensible)? Drivers seem split about 50/50 on the issue, judging by their behaviour. Quentin Bennett, Auckland.

A spokesperson for Auckland Transport advises that the sign is provided to clarify what is meant by the arrow in the far left lane when approaching Market Place from Fanshawe St.

The far left lane is intended for use only by vehicles turning left into Market Place, whereas the adjacent lane is intended for vehicles travelling along to Sturdee St. As this is not quite a straight ahead movement, vehicles must bear left.

With regards to whether buses can travel ahead from the far left lane, Auckland Transport is working on a project that will assist buses to travel ahead to Sturdee St from that lane. The current width of the exit from the intersection, where it is marked as a bus lane, is less than desirable for buses. Bus drivers have been advised to use the adjacent lane to travel towards Sturdee St until such time as changes are made to the intersection.

There is a bus lane along Quay St in Auckland, city-bound. Signs say this is a bus lane between 6am and 10am only. There are yellow dotted lines along the curb which means no parking or standing. Quite often when I want to make use of this lane outside those hours (for example, to turn into Tangihua St) the lane is blocked - by parked buses. It seems the drivers have stopped to get a pie. I would have thought the no parking law applies to buses as much as anyone else. Or is there an exception for a bus? I feel like calling the council parking wardens! Alan Grant, Auckland.

There are yellow dotted lines along the Quay St bus lane adjacent to the Vector Arena before Tangihua St. You are correct, it means that vehicles, including buses, may NOT park within the bus lane.

However, the bus lane is sometimes used for bus parking when there is an event on at Vector Arena and additional bus parking is required. In these instances, bus parking is permitted through the creation of a Temporary Traffic Resolution. This is a legal document that permits certain types of parking or else restricts parking. When this happens, permanent signs located along this section of the bus lane are uncovered showing that bus parking is permitted subject to the Temporary Traffic Resolution.

And still with the bus lanes (so nice to have a theme):

Auckland Transport was experimenting with a lane marking system last year to show where it was acceptable for normal traffic to enter a bus lane to make a left turn, rather than drivers having to make their own estimate of where the 50m mark is. Whatever happened to that? Betty Armstrong, Orakei.

Auckland Transport is still within the one-year trial period. It will be doing surveys later this year to assess the effectiveness of the measures.