Why restrictions need to be kept at the bus gate

Supporters of the LTN broadly support the proposals in the officers’ report to the Traffic Management Advisory Committee, though some would prefer that the LTN was preserved in its current format with planters.

However, almost unanimously, we believe that permitting local residents to drive through the bus gate undermines some of the objectives of the LTN.

• it encourages residents to drive to the Triangle
• increased traffic makes it more dangerous for children and cyclists
• it removes the disincentive to parents driving their children to Cypress school
• it makes it more dangerous for pupils of Cypress school to walk or cycle to school (46% of pupils want to cycle to school)
• traffic on Auckland Road needs to be kept at a level which doesn’t become unsafe (subjectively at least) for all age cycling
• the real benefits are long term (ie. health) and are about changing travel habits – making it easier to leave the car at home and harder to use it for short errands
• people with special needs or serving the community could be given a permit.