Work on the second and final stage of improving Onewa Road between Lake Road and Sylvan Avenue started in February this year.

The project is part of our ongoing commitment to improve transport options and reduce traffic congestion around the city.

The project includes:  Read more... (416 words, 2 images, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

• Creating a new transit lane as a continuation of the existing one along Onewa Road to the west of Lake Road
• A shared cycle path and footpath (Share with Care path) along the northern side of Onewa Road from Queen Street down towards the Onepoto Shared Use Bridge

By Claire Ahuriri

North Shore City Council are trying to promote the use of bicycles for commuters, and there are two opportunities for people keen to give cycling a go.

On Thursday 11th February, 6pm to 8pm at North Harbour Stadium, Albany, there will be a Beginner Bike Session for Adults – and it’s free!

This will be an opportunity for beginners to learn the basics of cycling and road safety in a safe and supportive environment, with bikes and helmets available for those who do not have access to them.  Read more... (171 words, 1 image, estimated 41 secs reading time)

Revelations today that Wellington parking wardens are on a daily quote system of 100 tickets per day!

The article that prompted this story was printed in todays Dominion (23 January). The story has been strongly defended by Wellington City Council who flatly deny any quota exists. See the comments below or here is a a transcript of what they added as comments on the site;

Just a friendly note, from Wellington City Council, that the story in the Dominion Post today is just a pile of nonsense. It is a total beat-up. As we told the reporter earlier this week, it is almost impossible for any warden to issue 100 tickets a day. We do not set ‘quotas’ for tickets – but on the other hand we expect our wardens to come to work and do a decent job – because we know that there are huge numbers of parking offences in the city every day. The story is based on the claims of a warden who clearly quit because he didn’t like the job he seems to have naively taken.
cheers
Richard MacLean – Wellington City Council Communications

Goes to show that there are two sides to every story and we are always happy to deliver both of these. You can now draw your own conclusions!

Popularity: 3% [?]  Read more... (355 words, 2 images, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

Fish are apparently much more cunning than we think, sans sea slugs, according to new Australian research.

So surely total unrecall by politicians, may prove unfathomable in light of new evidence which suggests even Nemo could recall most of his past.

Australian reserachers have discovered that fish can remember and adapt, way beyond three seconds and are very intelligent creatures.

The total recall of fish and the sometimes total unrecall of politicians begs the question how politicians will be able to get away with such forgetfulness. Especially in the upcoming months and years of promises about Super City Auckland being so Super  Read more... (448 words, 1 image, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

By Claire Ahuriri

Residents of Glenfield’s Mayfield Road have succeeded in stopping a bus lay-up from being built on their road, on a piece of park land right next to Glenfield Kindergarten.

The thin wedge of land contains five large pohutukawa that would have been cut down had the plan gone ahead.

The reason this lay-up was going to be built was so that buses could stop there in short breaks between services, when running ahead of time, for instance.

Instead, ARTA has had to reorganise its timetables so there is no need to stop on Mayfield Road.  Read more... (150 words, 1 image, estimated 36 secs reading time)

Chair of the NSCC Community Services and Parks Committee, Tony Holman, has announced that a new slice of coastal land in Bayswater has been added to  City’s public parks network.

NSCC has recently purchased 2 Sir Peter Blake Parade, located at the historic reclamation at O’Neills Point.

The 1113 square metres of land includes a dilapidated residential building, which will be removed to open the way for more public open space.
Chair of the Community Services and Parks Committee, Tony Holman says the
$1.28 million investment is part of a strategy to take opportunities as they arise to expand reserve networks along the coastline and significant bodies of water.  Read more... (298 words, 1 image, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)

Mayor Andrew Williams says that during Rodney Hide’s recent 12 day overseas Super City fact finding trip to the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States - Mr Hide spent less than 10 hours in  meetings on Auckland governance.

“Aucklanders will be fascinated to learn that, according to the official trip diary, Rodney Hide spent around 10 hours on Auckland governance, three and a half hours on regulatory reform, four and a half hours on ACT party policy, one hour in media interviews, and seven and a half hours having breakfast and lunch with his tour party who accompanied him on the trip,” Mayor Williams said.  Read more... (470 words, 1 image, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)

By Claire Ahuriri

North Shore City councillors have rejected the proposal to change the free parking at Constellation and Albany bus-ways to a charge of $2.

Instead, they are going to lobby the Auckland Regional Transport Authority and the New Zealand Transport Agency, since their cuts in subsidies are what brought this issue to the table in the first place.

Councillors feel that going ahead with paid parking would be a waste of time since the Super City Council will eventually take over anyway, and they have also pointed out regional unfairness in ARTA, which cleans the rail stations in other areas of Auckland, but leaves North Shore City Council to clean the bus-way stations themselves.  Read more... (159 words, 1 image, estimated 38 secs reading time)

By Claire Ahuriri

Get ready, because on Sunday 13th December, Devonstock is returning for a second concert on the mount!

This time the concert on Mt. Victoria will boast The Checks, Clap Clap Riot, Forbidden Joe, Eastern Flowers, and The Naked and Famous.

Running from 3pm to 6.30pm, entry will be free, and there will be a sausage sizzle by the Devonport Youth Forum, and they will also sell soft drinks in this alcohol-free event.

Last year at Devonstock there were 1500 people basking in the Devonport sun, and this year it could be bigger.  Read more... (153 words, 1 image, estimated 37 secs reading time)

By Claire Ahuriri

There is a chance that the free parking for commuters at the Albany and Constellation busways is about to change.

A shortfall from the Auckland Regional Transport Authority means that the North Shore City Council is going to look next week at the option of charging fees for parking in these two busway carparks, even though they have been free since they were opened with the ideal of promoting bus travel.

Popularity: 1% [?]  Read more... (152 words, 2 images, estimated 36 secs reading time)