Dad wants ‘dangerous’ slip lanes removed

A Milford man is urging Auckland Transport to remove the slip lanes at the Kitchener and Shakespeare roads intersection.

Grant Young wants the transport agency to instead erect traffic signals at the left turns, saying the slip lanes are dangerous.

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board member Jan O'Connor agrees, saying the intersection is “suicidal” for pedestrians.

Slip lanes are lanes provided at intersections to allow vehicles to turn left without entering the intersection and so not interfering with the through traffic.

Mr Young said the Milford intersection has four slip lanes and each poses a risk to pedestrians.

He is worried for the safety of his family and that of others who use the intersection daily to get to school and kindergarten.

“As parents of young children, we have to cross the intersection every day to get to school and we face various safety risks in doing that. We know it’s not safe and we want to do something about it.”

Mr Young also said the size of the traffic islands that pedestrians stand on while crossing were too small for the number of people needing to use them at one time.

“Another problem is that drivers are generally not looking in the right direction. The road design encourages drivers to look away from the pedestrian crossings toward oncoming traffic to see if they can drive through,” Mr Young said.

Ms O’Connor said the Kitchener and Shakespeare roads intersection is the most difficult intersection in the area.

“The hazards are not good for pedestrians. I believe that as far as pedestrians go that intersection is actually suicidal.”

She believes free left-turns are not safe and said the slip lanes needed to be removed and replaced with controlled signals that would prevent accidents.

Milford Business Association manager, Murray Hill, supported Mr Young’s request, saying the lanes confuse motorists, leading to many safety risks.

“The problem with the slip lanes is even though there is a triangle there indicating there is a crossing, and there is a line showing you need to give way, people realistically don’t.”

Mr Hill also said the slip lanes were relatively ineffective as they were usually blocked as soon as three or more cars were travelling straight ahead through the intersection.

Te Waha Nui made numerous attempts to contact Auckland Transport but did not receive a response by deadline.