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McDonald Street, Altham Avenue and Morningside Drive, Kingsland - P120 Parking restrictions McDonald Street, Altham Avenue and Morningside Drive, Kingsland - P120 Parking restrictions

Proposal status: Feedback closed 6 April 2020, last updated 18 May 2020.

Reference number: RTV-257B

In March 2020, we proposed changes in your area

To improve parking availability for customers and visitors in a busy commercial area, we proposed new P120 (2 hour) parking time restrictions along McDonald Street, Altham Avenue and Morningside Drive, Kingsland. Our proposal responded to requests from local businesses to increase parking turn-over in this area.

Download the proposal drawing for McDonald Street, Altham Avenue and Morningside Drive (PDF 213KB)

Proposal outcome

The proposal received mixed feedback with some concerns raised by respondents. After reviewing this feedback and all other supporting evidence, the proposal will proceed without changes to the next stage of detailed planning.

We have made minor changes to the design based on community feedback. We are extending the P120 (2 hour) parking time restrictions further along McDonald Street (10 parking spaces) and another section of Morningside Drive (3 parking spaces). This will increase the total spaces under P120 restrictions from 48 to 61 spaces.

Thank you to everyone who responded to our proposal and gave us the chance to better understand your community and concerns. A summary of your feedback and our responses to community questions is below.

Download the updated drawing for McDonald Street, Altham Avenue and Morningside Drive (PDF 200KB)

Community feedback

Residents’ parking

  • Respondents very concerned that residents will be greatly impacted by this proposal. Many residents have limited or no access to off-street parking and rely on street parking. This proposal will mean they will be forced to park further away. Suggested that current parking arrangements are sufficient.
    It is important to note that this P120 time restriction will be in effect from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. This means that visitors and residents can park freely from 6pm to 8am without restriction.
    On-street parking is a valuable public asset. Residents and businesses should not rely on on-street parking for any shortfall of parking for employees or visitors to their home or place of business. Restrictions to on-street parking can be changed at any time for future street projects and improvements where Auckland Council and Auckland Transport deem necessary.
    Due to the limited on-street parking spaces around town centres and commercial areas, we support the use of alternate travel modes, such as public transport as an alternative to the private vehicle. However, if having a private vehicle is the only travel option available, we suggest that drivers park further away in areas that are unrestricted.
  • Respondents concerned that the needs of businesses are being accommodated over the needs of residents.
    P120 time restrictions are recommended in the parking strategy for fringes of town centres where more than 85% of the available parking spaces are occupied. This project aims to improve the parking availability for all and bring the occupancy level as close as possible to 85% at peak times. This is considered an optimum level of use where parking is well utilised, but some spaces are always available for visitors.
    Introducing these parking restrictions aims to manage the high parking demand by discouraging all-day parkers and long-term parking and encourage turn over that will benefit all in the area long term.
    On-street parking is a valuable public asset. Residents and businesses should not rely on on-street parking for any shortfall of parking for employees or visitors to their home or place of business. Restrictions to on-street parking can be changed at any time for future street projects and improvements where Auckland Council and Auckland Transport deem necessary.
  • Respondents requested that residents be exempt from the parking restrictions by using parking permits or the pink parking stickers (Mt Eden and Kingsland).
    No parking permits will be issued for parking within these P120 parking zones. These streets are not part of the residential parking zone and we are not introducing this zone change in the area currently. However, we will consider this area to be included in the residential parking zone programme in the future. Read more details on AT’s Parking Permit Policy.

New parking spaces

  • Respondents suggested that the grass berms along these streets be utilised to increase parking.
    Based on AT’s regional priority assessment there is no funding identified in the current long-term plan to create more parking capacity in the surrounding area within the berms.
  • Respondents recommended that businesses should coordinate with others that have car parking facilities available to allow their customers to park there. Suggestions included those with carparks that are not used outside of daytime trading hours.
    It is the responsibility of businesses to arrange private agreements to deal with any alternative parking requirements for staff and customer needs.

Parking restrictions

  • Respondent suggests this should be a paid parking area rather than P120. Recommends paid parking from 8am to 9pm seven days a week. Believes the parking in McDonald St is oversubscribed (more than 85% occupied) well into the evening 7 days a week. Auckland Transport’s own parking policy suggest that this should be a paid parking area far greater than what has been proposed.
    The criteria for considering paid parking is that occupancy levels for time restricted spaces regularly exceed 85% at peak times. Currently, only McDonald Street has some time restrictions, the surrounding streets have none. Therefore, we cannot yet apply this criterion in the area. However paid parking may be considered in the future if this criterion for is met in the new P120 restricted areas. We will continue to monitor the area after implementation.
  • Respondent suggested P90 restrictions would be better than P120.
    We are introducing P120 restrictions as this is consistent with other time restrictions in residential and mixed-use areas around Auckland. Using different time restrictions, such as P90 (90 minutes), can create confusion.
  • Respondents suggested the parking restriction area be extended. Suggestions included the entirety of Ethel Street and further along McDonald Street to include the new precinct area.
    The intention of this project is to ensure that on-street parking is available for a variety of users at a range of times and to discourage long-term parking and encourage turn over that will benefit all in the area long term.
    We have taken this feedback on board and extended the P120 parking restrictions further along McDonald Street, to the corner of Ethel Street (see the updated drawing). This takes into account the new developments happening on Ethel Street. This will help absorb some of the on-street parking pressures and help increase parking turnover.
    We have also extended the P120 parking on Morningside Drive, aiming to alleviate the high demand for parking and lack of turnover during the day.
  • Respondent believes that there is ample street parking available during the week, 8am - 6pm, for businesses. Suggests that is after 6pm and on the weekends when parking is an issue, and these restrictions are not resolving this.
    As we currently do not consider that weekend parking poses an issue at this stage, we will not increase the parking restriction to include weekends as part of this project. The intention of this project is to discourage all-day stayers and long-term parking during the week and encourage turnover that will benefit all in the area long term.
    We will continue to monitor the area for any changes following implementation and will consider any additional measures in to mitigate any issues that may arise in the future.   

Parking enforcement

  • Respondent suggested that P120 parking restrictions would be difficult to enforce.
    These types of parking restrictions aim to manage the high parking demand by discouraging all-day parkers and long-term parking and encourage turnover. Parking enforcement operates 365 days a year across the entire Auckland region, and is an essential component of the transport system. This a known patrol hot spot and we have an on-going log for this area. The area will be monitored as part of the parking compliance officers’ weekly and daily routines.
  • Respondents concerned that vehicles parking on the berms are not being monitored and that some of these cars are parking over driveways causing safety issues for vehicles exiting properties.
    We are very aware of the issue of vehicles parking on the berms on McDonald Street and in the surrounding area. We have an ongoing log for this area and is monitored by compliance officers on their daily beat.
    We recommend regularly reporting any infringements by contacting our parking enforcement team which operates 24 hours, 7 days a week.
  • Respondents concerned that delivery trucks double park when delivering to businesses in the area, causing safety issues. Requested a dedicated loading zone and better enforcement in the area.
    We do not recommend this type of parking on the road as it can cause congestion and safety concerns. We will pass your concerns on to our enforcement team to monitor the area. We will take into consideration your recommendations for a dedicated loading zone. We recommend that businesses have their own off-street loading areas. On-street loading zones are not dedicated to any one business and are based on a first come first served basis.
    We recommend regularly reporting any infringements by contacting our parking enforcement team which operates 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Safety

  • Respondent requested improved crossing facilities for pedestrians to cross Morningside safely to access the train station.
    We are unable to accommodate this request as part of our project. However, your request will be referred to the relevant team to take your concerns into consideration for any future safety improvement projects in the area.
  • Respondent concerned that Rossmay Terrace and McDonald Street are being used as a rat run, with vehicles travelling too fast. Requested that the speed limit be reduced to 30km/h and speed calming measures introduced on Rossmay Terrace and Altham Avenue as part of this proposal. This will improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
    We are unable to accommodate this request as part of our project. However, your request will be referred to the relevant team to take your concerns into consideration for any future safety improvement projects in the area.
  • Respondent requested clearer road markings on McDonald Street, Altham Avenue and Morningside Drive.
    We will take this into consideration when we come to the construction stage of this project.

Alternative modes of travel

  • Respondent recommended installing cycle parking on McDonald Street, to encourage alternative modes of transport. Concerned the lack of this discourages people from cycling.
    We encourage alternative modes of transport. Bike parking infrastructure will be prioritised in town centres and in locations that support public transport use such as transport interchanges, rail stations and near the Frequent Transport Network routes. Unfortunately, currently, McDonald Street does not fall in this category.
  • Respondent recommended that the parking issues be considered along with walking and cycling improvements in this area.
    Thank you for your concerns about more walking and cycling improvements in the area. We will direct your concerns to our walking and cycling team to take into consideration for any future projects or improvements in the area.

Development

  • Respondents concerned that residents’ parking is being impacted by poor planning by Auckland Council and Auckland Transport. Concerned that parking is not being considered when applications for new buildings/developments are made.
    We are always looking at how best to utilise on street parking. The parking design team takes into consideration all parking issues in the area and address this when we advise Auckland Council’s Resource Consents team. Under the Unitary Plan the applicant must meet the minimum off street parking requirements.
    On-street parking is a valuable public asset. Residents and businesses should not rely on on-street parking for any shortfall of parking for employees or visitors to their home or place of business. Restrictions to on-street parking can be changed at any time for future street projects and improvements where Council and Auckland Transport deem necessary.
  • Respondent recommended that current and future development in these streets needs to be considered in the parking plan for this area.
    We will continue to monitor parking in the area. Parking in the surrounding areas bordering the CBD have seen a lot of changes. To address these changes, we have introduced residential parking schemes in Mount Eden, Saint Marys bay, Parnell, Grey Lynn and Arch Hill, and paid residential parking schemes in Grafton. We plan to roll these parking schemes into areas to address high occupancy issues.

Other feedback

  • Respondent suggested that more consultation with residents is needed to address the issues.
    Community feedback is extremely important to our consultation process and we always attempt to consult with the people and businesses affected by our proposals. As part of this consultation, we sent information by way of post, email, providing information online, and in the case of this project, signage in the affected area.
  • Respondent concerned the signage advising of the proposal was inappropriate at the time when we were in lockdown.
    Thank you for feedback. We appreciate this is a trying time for all. The consultation process for this proposal had already begun, with the signs in place and letters mailed out, when it was announced that New Zealand would be entering Level 4 lockdown.

Next steps

These works are planned for July – August 2020, but 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.