Ask Phoebe: Confusion reigns at Redoubt Rd

A 50m turning restriction is now law. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

When turning right from Great South Rd from the south into Redoubt Rd, there are two right-turning lanes. One is labelled Southern Motorway, the other Northern Motorway, with appropriate right and left arrows. There is no arrow to indicate which lane to use if one wishes to proceed directly up Redoubt Rd. This is confusing. Can it be seen to? Alasdair Maclean, South Auckland.

The layout of Redoubt Rd at the interchange is only temporary. It seems that signage for the motorways north and south take priority, and there isn't room for another destination sign on the gantry. When the SH20-SH1 Manukau extension is finished next year, there will be a single right-turn lane on to the southbound onramp, two through lanes for people heading east, and appropriate changes to the signage.

The new road rules, which came into effect on November 1, included a section on "special vehicle lanes". This states that when drivers need to cross a special vehicle lane to turn left or to get to a parking space they must do it in the minimum length of the lane necessary, but no more than 50 metres.

If this is a new rule, can I take it that fines that have been levied up until now as a result of entering a special vehicle lane, such as a bus lane, are invalid, as there was no regulation in place? Richard Lewis, Auckland.

No, you may not take it as that. In fact, the part of the Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule 2009 that relates to special vehicle lanes is just that, an amendment. In 2004, restrictions were placed on the use of special vehicle lanes. Since then, fines have been levied by local bodies under a provision in the bylaws. Now, with the amendment, it is passed into general law. The amendment specifies the 50m restriction, which the 2004 rules did not.

The 50m limit is measured by cameras operated by council employees. They set up in a spot noted on the city map, and recorded, and the 50m mark is measured against a landmark of some sort (a shop sign, a particular lamp post). If none is available, the camera operator sets up his or her own marker, at the measured distance.

And, in similar vein:

There are lots of places where people can turn left through the bus lane in Symonds St, going down the road towards the university. If we are in our car lane I've been assuming we have to give way to buses when we are turning left, but are motorbikes allowed to use the lane, and if so, do we have to give way to them too? I nearly collected one yesterday when he nipped into the bus lane to get ahead of the queue. Steve Yeoman, Auckland.

Yes, you most certainly do. Motorcycles, and bicycles, are allowed to use the bus lanes in the city, and, as with all circumstances where you are turning across a lane of traffic, you must give way to any vehicle coming straight through. Even, I might add, those who aren't supposed to be there.

I drive a motorcycle daily and am confused about the truck lanes, in particular the truck transit lane from the Port (Stanley St) on to the Southern Motorway.

Is the truck lane able to be used by motorcycles, on the same basis that bus lanes are? A couple of times I have been waiting in line with cars (behind a police vehicle) and have been waved on to the truck lane, and another time I saw a motorcyclist pulled over, presumably for using the truck lane. Gary Half, Onehunga.

No. Only trucks 3.5 tonnes and over are allowed in truck priority lanes, and the fine for transgressions is about $150. The truck-only restriction is to allow these heavy vehicles to get up a bit of speed before they hit the motorway.