Get moving: Cycle lights first for city

Q: What's with the new set of traffic lights on St Lukes Rd near the cycleway? There's a set for pedestrians, and another set with pictures of bikes. Hazel Jones, Mt Eden.

A: Well spotted, Hazel. It's the first set of this type in Auckland, and has been installed so that cyclists and pedestrians using the cycleway can cross St Lukes Rd safely. The cycle lights are activated either by stopping your bike on the diamond marking on the cycle lane, or by the pedestrian crossing button.

Q: Recently a 70km/h sign has been put up on Huia Rd, 250m east of the Huia Rd/Whatipu Rd intersection. The new sign, at the start of a one-way section of road only 4m wide, is just 11m after the give-way arrows. Surely there's been a mistake here? Gordon Turner, Huia.

A: There sure has. The sign is in the wrong place, because of a misunderstanding between Waitakere City's transport engineer and the road-sign contractor. It will be moved about 900m further north, near to Huia Lodge, as soon as it can be arranged.

The 70km/h speed limit is another matter. Speed limits are set by local councils and Transit NZ according to rules laid down by the Ministry of Transport, so that there is some consistency throughout the country. Limits of 60, 70 or 80km/h are set in areas of some roadside development, such as houses, shops and schools, not as much as in a town or city but more than in farmland. The local traffic engineers would rather have a lower speed limit on this section of Huia Rd, but are prevented from doing so by the current laws.