Auckland Transport (AT) had a series of user complaints regarding the safety of Maki Street, which has resulted in AT recently stopping traffic turning right from Fred Taylor Road into Maki Street and hence into the North-West Shopping Centre development. This action had been undertaken by AT as a trial until February 2017.

In 2015, the SH18 off ramp was amended, as an interim solution, to aid traffic using SH18 northbound to enter the North-West Shopping Centre. The Agency were concerned that stopping the right turn movement would change movements into the shopping centre and potentially increase movements into Gunton Drive, with possible consequential increase in vehicle movements into the North West Shopping Centre from the off ramp. It was also important to ensure signage remained accurate on the State Highway (SH) network. There was considerable pressure on the Agency to assess the impact this closure was having as soon as possible and that all changes were made before the increase in traffic expected due to Christmas shopping and January sales.

Resolve Group were asked to urgently review current SH signage and road markings, to confirm the existing signs and road markings provided clear information for SH road users wishing to gain access into the North-West Shopping Centre and to see if there were additional ‘quick win’ options that could be implemented.

Resolve found there were some signs and road markings which could be improved at the SH18/Hobsonville Rd junction and also recommended:

• A safety review of all signs and road markings proposals
• A traffic modelling exercise, to be undertaken by others, to determine the long- and short-term impacts of increased use of Gunton Drive with Maki St closed

Resolve also reviewed the traffic management requirements with both AT and the AMA to ease the process for gaining access to the road network and associated traffic management requirements in order to speed up the overall process.

Proposed (indicative) advance direction sign Hobsonville Road facing west bound traffic prior to SH16/18

Rick van Barneveld continues to provide support to the Transport Agency and local authorities in advancing the National Ticketing Programme (NTP) Roadmap agreed on in June of 2016. An interim arrangement is now in place for Greater Wellington and the management of ticketing systems for smaller regions has been stabilised. Tenders for an interim solution for the smaller regions have just closed and a significant enhancement project is underway for Environment Canterbury. The indicative business case for a long term solution for Greater Wellington, the consortium of smaller councils and ECan is now underway.

The Project Director, the Manager of the Regional Consortium project and Rick van Barneveld participated in the recent Asia Pacific Transit Ticketing and Fare Collection Conference in Singapore this December. The most satisfying outcome was confirmation that new payment technologies seen to be on the bleeding edge last year are now being actively developed and  deployed around the world. The move  towards an account based regime and exploring the opportunity enabling ordinary banking cards to be used are all critically important features of the  NTP work programme. The days of needing to have money on the card are rapidly drawing to a close, and with this come new players and partnerships in transport ticketing, including options for mobile phone recognition in various forms. The banking, payments and communications industries are all active in this developing world, which represents the largest single sector for daily payment volumes in New Zealand.

The other emerging theme is the advent of mobility as a service where single integrated platforms are developed using big data technologies to plan, manage and pay for complete journeys across modes and with private and public sector participation. Some of this is a way off, but we are already seeing the impact of disruptive technology with the rapid expansion of Uber globally. The technology in the ITS and mobility space is here, and the rate at which it will improve the performance of the transport sector is up to those of us who work in it.

Rob Lorden has also been helping with the management of the tender process for the NTP. Tenders have been received and the evaluators, including Rob, are currently reviewing them.  A decision over the successful tenderer is expected early in the New Year.