KEY POINTS:
To whom does one report the presence of healthy moth plants growing wildly around Auckland? There is one extensive plant growing along the St Marks onramp to the Southern Motorway and a huge beauty in flower making a rampant attack on a cabbage tree in Outhwaite Park in Newmarket. There's another in Upper Grafton Rd. These things are weeds and need to be on a hit list somewhere. Is there a parks and reserves department who will go out and zap them? Marin Burgess, Auckland.
The Auckland Regional Council are on the case. Like privet, moth plant is a widespread pest in the Auckland region. While the ARC is the biosecurity agency, it simply doesn't have the resources to remove all pest plants. The three sites mentioned have been reported to the relevant landowners - NZ Transport Agency and Auckland City Council. Both do their bit to get rid of moth plants; in fact, NZTA has had teams working along SH1 and SH6 getting rid of moth plant in the last week. But homeowners can do their bit too. You should pull any plants out by the roots, remembering that the sap can be a skin irritant so you should wear gloves and long sleeves. Or you can spray with a herbicide. For more information, call (09) 366 2000 or visit www.arc.govt.nz/plantsearch
There used to be a Mobil petrol station and workshop on the corner of Ponsonby Rd and McKelvie St but, some years ago, it closed and the pumps were removed. Since then, this site has been fenced off with razor wire. What's happening now with this unsightly real estate? Carol Morrison, Auckland.
The new owners of the site, Alder and Co Ltd, are in discussion with Auckland City Council over the work needed to fix contamination from underground fuel storage tanks and a resource consent application is under review, but it should be sorted soon. Once this is done, redevelopment of the site can begin.
* A bouquet for Auckland City Council: Matt Hancock and his cycling buddies are really enjoying the Remuera bus lane. It makes commuting by bus, motorcycle and bike a breeze.
* And a brickbat for me. Ex-traffic officer Mark Rowley says that the Road Code's statement, that "you must not pass another vehicle if it means you have to cross over a no-passing line on your side of the centre line" is a simplified version of the current law. The rule set out in the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 says: "The driver must not pass or attempt to pass a motor vehicle or an animal-drawn vehicle moving in the same direction." It is, therefore, not illegal to cross a yellow no-passing line in order to pass a parked or stationary motor vehicle or a moving bicycle.
