Pah Road, Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue, Epsom - Pedestrian Improvements Pah Road, Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue, Epsom - Pedestrian Improvements

Proposal status: Feedback closed.

Reference number: RSU2021-048

Proposal outcome

In November 2021, we proposed changes to improve pedestrian safety and reduce speeding in Pah Road, Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue in Epsom. After reviewing all the feedback, we are proceeding with the following minor change:

  • We have removed the proposed pedestrian island on Lauchlan Avenue from our plans and will instead install the pedestrian islands on Liverpool Street and Greenfield Road. All other proposed changes remain the same.

Download the updated proposal drawing. (PDF 4.34MB)

These works will help support our Vision Zero goal.

What happens next

We anticipate the changes will be constructed between July to August 2022. We will be in touch with local residents prior to any construction taking place.

Community feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge. We received some feedback that the proposed pedestrian island on Lauchlan Avenue was not required, but a pedestrian island on Greenfield Road would improve pedestrian safety. Therefore, we changed the design so that pedestrian islands will be installed on Liverpool Street and Greenfield Road.

Here is a summary of other comments and queries we received and our responses to them:

Proposed crossing

  • The proposed crossing will increase travel time for emergency service vehicles as they frequently travel on Pah Road. This will impact people’s survival.
    The raised table is designed to accommodate emergency vehicles. It reduces driver speeds while not affecting emergency vehicle operations or causing discomfort to public transport users. Emergency services were consulted on this proposal and raised no concerns.
  • The location of the proposed crossing has low visibility and will not give people enough time to stop, which could lead to an increase in accidents.
    We carried out a topographical survey and found that while the crossing location is at a high point for vehicles travelling north, it is not considered a safety risk to approaching vehicles or pedestrians at the crossing. Advanced warning signs will be in place to warn drivers approaching the crossing.
  • Concern about the safety of the proposed crossing location being close to Lauchlan Avenue and Liverpool Street.
    The proposed crossing will not cause visibility issues for people exiting these streets due to their low traffic volumes and broken yellow lines.
  • Concern about the removal of parking as there is a shortage of parking on the surrounding streets.
    We understand that the removal of parking can be inconvenient. While there is some parking loss due to these safety improvements, all properties in the area have off-street parking.

    Pah Road is a T3 route with parking restrictions from 7am to 10am and from 4pm to 7pm Monday to Friday. Parking on nearby side roads is available for properties with more cars than available parking. The maximum distance from a property to a side road is 55m.

    The signalised crossing will allow drivers to park on a side road and safely cross Pah Road, if required.
  • The proposed crossing location will impact driveway accessibility. Move the crossing further up Pah Road and leave the bus stops at their current location.
    We chose this location as it gives buses enough space to stop without blocking driveways. The proposed crossing will not obstruct people driving in and out of the nearby properties.

    The exact measurement between the driveways of 49 Pah Road and 51 Pah Road is 15.5m. A standard AT bus stop is 15.0m.
  • Move the crossing further up Pah Road and leave the bus stops at their current location.
    The proposed location is ideal as it is a connected route, letting pedestrians safely access local businesses and public transport.

    We observed elderly pedestrians crossing Pah Road and approximately 100 commuters per day getting on and off buses at the two bus stops. For these reasons, providing a place for pedestrians to cross at this location will give bus users and the local community safer options to cross the road.

    We specifically placed the crossing between the two bus stops as the Transport Design Manual (TDM) states that bus stops should be provided in pairs, ideally tail-to-tail on opposite sides of the road.
  • Install a standard crossing rather than a raised crossing to reduce noise, emissions, and safety risks from vehicles braking and accelerating.
    We have proposed a raised crossing rather than a standard crossing to help reduce driver speeds. The 85th percentile speed of Pah Road is 54.1km/h, which is above the posted speed limit of 50km/h. At this speed, the risk of a fatal or serious incident between a vehicle and pedestrian is high.

    Research has shown that reducing speed from 50km/h to 30km/h makes a vulnerable road user 90% likely to survive a crash. Slowing approaching drivers will also reduce noise and braking. The emission impacts are very minor.
  • Install a raised signalised dogleg intersection between all three roads.
    The vehicle demand for Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue is low compared to Pah Road. The risk of incidents between motorists and pedestrians is highest on Pah Road. For these reasons, no additional improvements are needed at this stage.
  • Installing the crossing will not change people’s behaviour and they will cross the road where they like.
    The distance between the crossing at 79A Pah Road and the proposed crossing at 53 Pah Road is 363m. This distance is close to the limit of the distance people are prepared to walk to a crossing before risking jaywalking.

    We proposed this pedestrian crossing to improve safety and connections for people walking in the community.

Bus stops

  • The proposed bus stop locations will obscure visibility of traffic turning out of Fairholme Avenue, Lauchlan Avenue and Greenfield Road.
    Fairholme Avenue is a cul-de-sac with low levels of vehicle traffic. Although the number of cars turning in and out of Fairholme Ave is low, we calculated a Safe Intersection Sight Distance (SISD) to check that vehicles can safely turn out of Fairholme Avenue.

    The existing broken yellow lines on Pah Road near Fairholme Avenue and the proposed bus stop will improve visibility. Lauchlan Avenue is also a cul-de-sac and the level of traffic on this road is low. For drivers turning out of Greenfield Street, the relocation of the bus stops will improve the visibility of oncoming traffic.

    The existing bus stop layout in front of 38A Pah Road currently obstructs a driver’s view of approaching northbound vehicles. The proposed bus stop layout improves safety by shifting the bus stop south, in front of 40 Pah Road, providing a clear view and giving drivers time to make a safe decision.
  • Concern about the proposed bus stop location outside 40 Pah Road.
    Motorists turning left into the driveway of 40 Pah Road will have an unobstructed view as the bus stop is positioned further south. Vehicles making a right turn into 40 Pah Road will not clash with the bus stop as the bus stop is placed 2m from the driveway.

    Any bus parked outside 40 Pah Road will only be stopped for a short period, as buses usually stop for no more than 30-45 seconds to pick up or drop off riders.
  • Concern about the condition of the bus stop bench outside 53A Pah Road and suggestion to add a bus shelter.
    We will reassess the condition of the existing seat and will upgrade it to a new seat or a bus shelter through a separate consultation process.

Proposal background

  • Concern whether all impacted parties were consulted.
    The consultation material was sent to local residents and other relevant parties like emergency services and elected members. All feedback is considered and influences the design process.
  • The drawing does not show the developments at 40 Pah Road.
    The aerial image used is the most up-to-date image available to us. While the individual properties cannot be seen in the drawing, the boundaries are outlined in black.
  • There have not been any recent pedestrian accidents at this location.
    High driver speeds, vulnerable road users, and large numbers of bus patrons wanting to cross Pah Road are all reasons for providing a safe crossing at this location. The 85th percentile speed of Pah Road is 54.1km/h, which is above the posted speed limit of 50km/h. This could result in serious and fatal crashes.

    We take a Vision Zero approach to transport safety. Raised tables are part of the Vision Zero toolkit for reducing driver speeds, which is important in this location.

    The approach also identifies that a signalised crossing should be considered for a road with more than two lanes. The design of a raised signalised pedestrian crossing slows motorists and provides a safe location for pedestrians to cross.

Surrounding area

  • Concern about accidents and frequent near misses at the Pah Road, Greenfield Road and Fairholme Avenue intersection. Install traffic lights with standard crossings at this intersection to make it safer and improve traffic flow for turning vehicles.
    Fairholme Avenue is a cul-de-sac and the vehicle demand for this road is low. Greenfield Road is connected to Manukau Road, a busy arterial route, which justifies adding a pedestrian island to improve the safety for pedestrians crossing at this location. Signalising these minor roads will create major delays on Pah Road, which carries approximately 26,400 vehicles per day.
  • When cars are parked on both sides of Greenfield Road only one car can travel in one direction at a time.
    Greenfield Road is only 7.6m wide and has speed bumps. This may have been done to reduce speeding and deter drivers from using it as a through route. Therefore, the road operates safely with no identified safety issues.
  • Have continuous footpaths on the side streets.
    We have visited the site and seen that the side streets have continuous footpaths on both sides of the street. If this is a concern for pedestrian safety or accessibility, please specify which side street and sections are a concern using our feedback form.
  • Request for pedestrian crossing improvements on Selwyn Road.
    We may consider Selwyn Road for pedestrian safety improvements or an intersection upgrade in the future. At this time, safety improvements for pedestrians will have the biggest impact on Pah Road by providing a safe crossing for vulnerable users and bus patrons. Pah Road has more vehicle traffic than Selwyn Road.

    Selwyn Road also has an existing pedestrian island which reduces the crossing distance by breaking it into two sections with a crossing distance of less than 6m.

Miscellaneous

  • Request to install a speed camera.
    New Zealand Police are responsible for identifying speed camera sites and installing and maintaining speed cameras. However, the proposed crossing is likely to reduce overall speeds in the area at all times.

We're proposing improvements in your area

Aucklanders have told us that moving around our city safely and easily is important to them. We are proposing some improvements to your area.

Listening to what you have to say is important to us. Your local knowledge can help us make better decisions, so together we can achieve the best outcomes for your neighbourhood.

We are proposing to:

  • Install a raised signalised crossing outside no.53 Pah Road. The crossing will be raised to be flush with the footpath.
  • Install a pedestrian island on Liverpool Street at the intersection with Pah Road. A pedestrian island is a raised island with a cut-through that is designed to allow pedestrians to cross busy roads in two stages.
  • Install a pedestrian island on Lauchlan Avenue at the intersection with Pah Road.
  • Install tactile pavers which are yellow guidance paving markers to help visually impaired people to find their way to the crossing points.
  • Move the bus stop and bench outside no.53 Pah Road to outside no.49 Pah Road.
  • Move the bus stop and bench outside no.38A Pah Road to outside no.42 Pah Road.
  • Paint broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) on the approach to the pedestrian crossing and bus stops and extend the broken yellow lines on the corners of Lauchlan Avenue and Liverpool Street. This will result in the removal of 13 on-street parking spaces - 6 on Pah Road, 4 on Lauchlan Avenue and 3 on Liverpool Street. 
  • Install new signage, street lighting and road markings to support the changes.

Download the proposal drawing for Pah Road, Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue (PDF 3.2MB)

Auckland Transport would like to work with you to deliver safer roads in your neighbourhood. These changes are being proposed as this section of Pah Road has no pedestrian crossing facilities for over 350m in either direction. There is a moderate demand to cross Pah Road at this location and the side roads of Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue due to the bus stops and nearby rest home. The installation of a raised signalised crossing aims to improve pedestrian safety by prioritising people crossing the road and helps to reduce speeding. The installation of pedestrian islands on Liverpool Street and Lauchlan Avenue aims to benefit people crossing the road by breaking up the journey. We understand that the removal of parking can be inconvenient, so we have minimised the removal while maintaining good lines of sight for road users and pedestrians.

If you would like to post in your feedback, download and print our feedback form template, fill in your details and send it freepost using the address details on the form.

What happens next

  • We’ll consider all the feedback we receive, and then decide the best way to move forward.  
  • We’ll post the outcome of this proposal and a summary of community feedback on this webpage. 
  • We can email you the proposal outcome as soon as it’s ready – just select that option when you fill in the survey. 

More information

This proposal is supported with funding from the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax. 

Epsom: Safe with us

Auckland Transport cares for your safety. We want to make our roads safe for everyone, people walking and cycling, especially for our kids and senior citizens and people driving. Projects like this one around Pah Road are another step towards our goal of achieving no deaths or serious injuries on our roads. We are guided by the Vision Zero approach to transport safety, which prioritises human safety over other measures (like minor time saving).