Herd Road, Hillsborough – Weekday evening clearway Herd Road, Hillsborough – Weekday evening clearway

Proposal status: closed 16 November 2018

Reference number: RTV-189

We're proposing changes in your area

We are proposing to introduce a weekday evening clearway along the southern edge of Herd Road between 3 and 17 Herd Road, in Hillsborough. This clearway would apply Monday to Friday, 4pm to 6pm. 

Download the proposal drawing for Herd Road (PDF 292KB) 

Why the changes are needed

Our investigations indicate that cars parked along this stretch of road frequently obstruct the flow of traffic during peak hours, causing drivers to cross over the centreline to access the right turn lane at the intersection with Hillsborough Road. The proposed changes would improve traffic flow and road safety by eliminating the need for drivers to make these dangerous manoeuvres.

Proposal outcome

This project will proceed without changes to the next stage of detailed planning. Thank you to everyone who submitted feedback. A summary of this feedback and answers to community questions and concerns is below.

Feedback received

  • This proposal received positive responses from community members and stakeholders who supported efforts to improve congestion and operational issues at this location.
  • Concern that the proposal will simply shift the problem elsewhere along Herd Road.
    We expect that the proposal will improve traffic flow at this location. However, we will continue to monitor Herd Road for safety and operational issues following implementation and will assess whether any further changes are required.
  • Concern that the proposal will result in vehicles parking on the berm.
    The proposal aims at removing kerbside parking during peak hours to allow two lanes on the approach to the intersection of Herd and Hillsborough Roads, thereby increasing efficiency. There is sufficient parking on the northern side of Herd Road that can be utilised by residents and their visitors.
  • Concern over the impact the proposal will have on parking on the other side of Herd Road.
    We expect that the proposal will have a relatively low impact as currently there is low parking demand on the northern side of Herd Road.
  • Concern over parking removal and the impact it will have on residents and their visitors.
    The clearway will only be in operation Monday to Friday from 4pm to 6pm. During this time if off-street parking is required, residents and visitors can utilise on-street parking elsewhere along Herd Road.
  • Request for indented parking bays along Herd Road to accommodate on-street parking demand.
    Costs associated with installation of indented parking bays would outweigh the benefits gained as this area experiences relatively low on-street parking demand during the clearway hours.
  • Request to also introduce parking restrictions along the northern edge of Herd Road.
    The northern side of Herd Road has sufficient road width to accommodate kerbside parking and a single traffic lane hence additional parking restrictions will not have any benefits over and above what is being proposed.
  • Requests for permanent broken yellow lines at this location rather than a clearway, as traffic continues to be a problem on weekends.
    Permanent parking removal would result in an increase in parking on the northern side at all times. Our investigations suggest that traffic operations at this location are not as severely impacted by on-street parking outside of the proposed clearway hours, so broken yellow lines are not warranted.
  • Concerns that parked cars along Herd Road frequently block visibility for residents exiting their driveways.
    Removal of parking during clearway hours will aid visibility for residents on the southern side of this stretch of Herd Road. We will continue to monitor the area for safety and operational issues following implementation of the changes.

Next steps

This work will happen on or before July 2019, and we will let you know if there are further changes or delays. Our contractors will send notices to affected residents 48-hours prior to construction starting.