Ask Phoebe: Loose metal threat on stopping strip

Coming from the southeastern arterial road on to the Southern Motorway, heading towards the city, there is an emergency stopping strip. Last week, as I came on to the motorway, I was squeezed by a vehicle changing lanes just at the critical moment, and was nearly forced into the loose metal that has been there since the truck onramp was constructed. Most of the stopping lane has been tarsealed, but there is a gap of about 20m which hasn't been. There is also quite a drop from the motorway lane into this gap. Have they forgotten about it, or have they run out of money? Bernie Bateman, Auckland.

Neither. The gap will be resurfaced within the next month as part of the finishing work from the installation of the ramp signals, and the truck lane - aka managed priority lane - on the onramp.

I commute daily by bicycle from the North Shore to Avondale. With the new motorway being built at the bottom of the Greenhithe bridge there is a lot of construction work and I can see that the cycle lane is going to be affected.

In mid-March about 50m of the cycleway was dug up, and it has still not been resealed. It is on a steepish slope and almost impossible to ride on with skinny bike tyres. I've seen several accidents here.

And then, to add insult to injury, two-thirds of the cycleway was closed the other day to make room for some trucks.

I would like to know when the dug-up section will be repaired, and whether consideration will be given to the cycleway during the remainder of the project. It appears that it's not high on the agenda. Wayne Branfield, North Shore.

The NZ Transport Agency apologises to cyclists for disruption while the SH18 Hobsonville deviation and SH16 Brigham Creek extensions are being built.

And I apologise, too, for the delay in addressing this vexatious matter. As you've probably noticed, Mr Branfield, the cycleway has been resealed.

The trucks at the bottom of the bridge were from Vector, which is putting powerlines underneath the motorway. In future the motorway project team will liaise more closely with Vector to ensure that the cycleway does not get blocked again.

Good result all round, I'd say.

Does the white diamond road marking before a pedestrian crossing still have relevance? Is it just for show now? To my way of thinking most pedestrians don't know what they mean. When I went to school we were taught not to step on to the crossing if an approaching car was between the crossing and the diamond. I'm sure this was in the old Road Code. Graeme Sedal, Rosie Casbolt, the Head family, and Chris Wilson.

The latest Road Code, circa 2004, says that the diamond is an indication or warning of a crossing ahead.

In some cases, the diamond has been replaced with zigzag markings, but that seems not to have caught on. As well as road markings, there are also black and white striped poles topped with fluoro orange discs or flashing yellow lights, and a pedestrian crossing sign nearby.

I can't find any reference in any Road Code about it being an offence to step out on to a crossing if a vehicle was between the crossing and the diamond, but I'm happy to take instruction on this.