Ask Phoebe: Public parking on wharf a no no once Viaduct Events Centre opens

Construction of the new Viaduct Events Centre. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The wharf where the Viaduct Events Centre is rapidly rising is a popular observation, lunching and fishing venue. Will private motor vehicle access to the wharf still be permitted once the building is completed?
Ronald Small, Herne Bay.

A spokesman for Waterfront Auckland, which is responsible for this area, says parking will be severely limited here once the building is operating.

On any normal day, there will be 50 carparks: eight for the disabled, 10 for the centre's staff and associated people, and 32 for those involved in the marine and fishing industries.

These will function under a permit system. No other carparking will be allowed except for that required for special events. During such an event, such as a boat show, an additional 90 spaces down the far end of the wharf will be made available for exhibitors and others who need them.

Outside the main entrance to Auckland City Hospital on Park Rd are traffic lights with a red arrow for those turning right into the hospital who approach from the east, that is, Newmarket.

Unfortunately those turning left from the Grafton Bridge direction stop to give way as they only have a solid green light. This blocks the single lane of traffic. Is it possible to have a green left-turn arrow at these lights to indicate that these people have right of way?
Wes Castle, Auckland.

I don't think it is necessary. A solid green signal means you can turn left, as long as there is no traffic turning right in front of you. Because the oncoming traffic from the Newmarket direction has a red right arrow, they will not be turning, so there is no reason for the left-turners to wait.

The traffic lights at the T-intersection of Meadowbank Rd, St Johns Rd and Remuera Rd have me confused. At the top of Meadowbank Rd the intersection is controlled by left and right turn arrows. When turning left into St Johns from Meadowbank the red, no left-turn, arrow disappears, leaving only the green right-turn arrow. But the green left-turn arrow does not light up for a further 10 to 20 seconds. Can I move off when the red arrow disappears, as traffic is already blocked by right-turning traffic, or must I wait until the green arrow lights up? Why is there a lag?
Nick Ward, Auckland.

It is confusing. I think you could take a left turn when the red arrow disappears, but I would be cautious. Perhaps Auckland Transport might like to take a look and see if they can do something about that lag.

Does anyone know why the Herald uses the Irish Gaelic letter "d" in its masthead?
Graeme Darby, Auckland.

Herald art director Esther Sinke, who knows a lot about this sort of thing, tells me the Herald logo is based on a Gothic or black-letter typeface. Most of the black-letter font families have the "d" that you could describe as Gaelic style. This means the ascender slants to the left. Black-letter font is usually considered Germanic.