Traffic Calming Group

Grey Lynn 2030 Week 21 – 27 March 2010

The week of events including the Street Party & Twilight Market  on Thursday 25th March 5-8pm will include a number of traffic calming installations.

Come and help create a street party atmosphere and watch how the community  reclaims the space from the traffic.

Update to the traffic calming group Feb 2010

West Lynn Parking Issues

West Lynn residents have already been busy this year looking at solutions to deal with traffic issues. In late 2009 the Auckland City Council responded to residents’ concerns about traffic flow and parking access in and around Francis Street by prosing a P120 parking permit restriction to one side of Francis Street and giving residents, who have no parking on their property, the option to buy a permit for exemption @ $150 each permit. Council distributed a survey to Francis St residents indicating that if 50% of residents agreed to the introduction of the P120 it would be implemented.

Concerned residents responded to the Council’s survey by calling a residents meeting earlier in January attended by residents of Francis, Wilton, Wellpark Streets, Kate Stanton and Bruce Kilminster from the Western Bays Community Board and Pippa Coom representing Grey Lynn 2030. A working group then presented to the Western Bays Community Board January meeting to voice opposition to implementing the P120 propose and to highlight other areas of concern discussed at the residents meeting such as footpath upgrades and better tree management in Francis Street.

The Community Board has formally requested officials to investigate issues which were raised and will report back. Residents have found the process so far very positive and have enjoyed the opportunity to meet new neighbours. The residents group intends to work with Grey Lynn 2030 to find longer term solutions that will reduce traffic and promote more sustainable transport options.

Contact: Jude Graveson at  judegrav@ihug.co.nz

Traffic Survey
If you ran out of time to do the Traffic survey at the end of last year it is not too late. It really only takes 3 minutes!
If you work, live, or play in Grey Lynn please take a couple of minutes to do this survey so we have a better idea about traffic issues and concerns

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=SkrjyANkggFt1GYZyC2ePA_3d_3d

Some projects that we are already looking to get behind this year
- planting the berms
- Grey Lynn 2030 week including a West Lynn Street Party
- slowing the traffic on Dryden Street

Our focus group is an email list of those interested in traffic calming (originally inspired by David Engwicth) – there are no plans to formalise the structure or to hold regular meeting but to continue encouraging practical action by each of the “members”.

We can use the Grey Lynn 2030 network to help activate ideas, publicise issues and share resources so let me know if you would like assistance with any traffic calming related projects you have for 2010.

Contact: pippacoom@gmail.com

Traffic calming workshop 16 August 2009

We had a really productive and interesting workshop attended by 15 of the traffic calming group with Bevan Woodward and Ruth McClure joining us to share their experiences with SALT (Slower and Less Traffic) in Pt Chev.

Taking inspiration from the philosophy of David Engwicht , the workshop was opportunity to recap on what “Mental Speed Bumps” can achieve in taming traffic, discuss neighbourhood ideas and put in place action plans.

Here are some of the ideas that emerged from the workshop that will be developed further by the group.

Working school bus

Street parties

Beautification of Food town wall on Williamson Ave

Intersection of Surrey Cres/Richmond Rd (where it is very dangerous to cross)

Guerrilla road signs

Gateway for main entrances to Grey Lynn

Traffic calming day/week to raise awareness

Pledge

Traffic calming Survey

Children’s workshop

Problem streets

Adoption of berms/design of the berms

Grey Lynn Farmers market – encouraging walking/cycling

So a whole heap of great stuff for us to get stuck into (all in various stages of development – more details to be added as we progress)

Please contact Pippa with any comments or ideas. Pippacoom@gmail.com

Street Talk just their Cup of Tea

Did you see the Aucklander on Thursday 20 August 2009?  Barbara Grace  made the news with a tea party in the bus stop outside her house on Richmond Road. A fun way to reclaim the street and slow the traffic.

How about holding a street party?
Massey Matters has put together a guide for organising a BBQ or party in your street.  The Brits have been into this for years. Here a couple of excellent guides on how to do it. The British one has what every UK street party needs – how to make bunting

David Engwicht presentation to Grey Lynn 2030

Saturday 11 July
David Engwicht

Mental Speed Bumps – the smarter way to tame traffic

David Engwicht, artist, write, street philosopher, story teller, was in Auckland in July 2009 at the invitation of the council’s urban design group inspiring people to re-think their presumptions about traffic calming and their relationship with vehicles.

David was given an enthusiastic reception by the 70 people who turned out on a Saturday afternoon at St Columba church community hall to hear his presentation about alternative ways to calm traffic. Grey Lynn 2030 was the only community group lucky enough to host David during his time in Auckland. After hearing David’s ideas many locals (and those who had travelled long distances to the meeting inspired by David’s interview with Gordon Harcourt  in the morning on National Radio) made personal commitments to take actions that will result in traffic calming.

Here is an attempt to summarise David’s presentation.

David’s has discovered that “the speed of traffic on residential streets is governed, to a large extent, by the degree to which residents have psychologically retreated from their street”. So the less activity and uncertainty that occurs on the street the more likely that motorists will be speeding and present a danger to residents.  This happens, for example, where residents build high walls at the front of their home, don’t use their front gardens – to relax, eat or play – and park their cars off the street thereby creating an environment that “invites” the motorist to go faster.

Communities can reverse this retreat with  low  cost solutions and without the need to wait for the installation of road signs or speed bumps. David suggests that, in the first instance,  neighbourhoods should look to  take personal responsibility for traffic calming rather than wait for the council to take action.  For example, we can all be positive citizens who can rebuild lost community connections just by getting to know our neighbours and walking to local shops.

Where communities have put David’s ideas into practice they have found that the dynamics of the street change. A motorist is far more likely to drive slowly where they know the neighbourhood children and expect to see them playing and their parents socialising on the street.

He also asks residents to consider their own behaviour when they get in the car and become “motorists”. We are probably all guilty of driving like the stereotypical Aucklander whose time is suddenly more important behind the wheel and is not tolerant of cyclists and pedestrians. He suggests a friendly wave at the speeding or inconsiderate motorist rather than an angry fist.

David calls for an “outbreak of civility” as the first step to transforming Auckland!

Please direct any queries about this group to Pippa

Relevant Articles about Transport and Traffic in our area

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4852864a6497.html