Ask Phoebe: Empty prison to be kept at the ready

Photo / Herald on Sunday

With the transfer of inmates from Mt Eden to the new prison, what will happen with the old prison? A few years ago after Pentridge Prison in Melbourne was closed, it opened for guided tours for a short period, with entry fees going to charity. Will the same sort of thing happen here with Mt Eden Prison? John Robertson, Hillsborough.

Newspaper stories in the past two years or so indicate at least one wing of the old prison, a listed heritage building, may be used as a museum or tourist attraction. Other sections will be refurbished for use as administration offices.

But the Corrections Department website says the old prison will be emptied of prisoners and kept in readiness if emergency capacity is required, for example, if prisoners have to be moved from a prison elsewhere that is damaged or compromised by a natural disaster.

I often take the train from Sylvia Park to Britomart and have wondered why the platform at Sylvia Park is much lower than the others. The step down from the train to the platform at Sylvia Park is a big 35cm to 40cm, while the step down at Britomart is about 10cm - hardly anything.

The Sylvia Park station is fairly new and I wonder if it was built with new, lower trains in mind? When the new trains arrive will the platforms have to be rebuilt? Tony Rowbotham, Mt Wellington.

You're right, the Sylvia Park platforms will be at the right height when electric trains are delivered in 2013.

One of the key requirements when the new trains come into service is to minimise the height difference between trains and platforms around the rail network. Work will need to be done at Britomart to adjust the tracks so the platforms and trains are at a similar height.

I believe toll roads are - by the very nature of having to pay to use them - private roads. As a private road any conditions on these roads are set by the owning authority of these roads - that is, the road speed, any parking, stopping or any other conditions they choose to make - because this would have to be part of the toll authority criteria to use the road. This in effect does not give the Land Transport Authority or its officers any control over these roads as they are not employed by the authority to administer the roading network. This also makes any traffic control the sole agency of the toll road authority. By the very reason of paying the toll by any traffic officers makes them just an ordinary road user like any other person.

My question is this: Do traffic officers of the Land Transport Authority (the police) have any jurisdiction on toll roads? If so, how does this apply and if not, every person issued with a ticket should be able to claim it back as being unlawful. Terry B. Johnson, Auckland.

I'm afraid you are misinformed, Mr Johnson. Toll roads, such as the Northern Gateway, are part of the national roading network and come under the auspices of the New Zealand Transport Agency, a Government body. Tolls are permitted to be applied under law, as a funding source. There are currently no private toll roads in this country.