In today’s guest post, former Auckland Councillor Pippa Coom highlights the value of berms in Auckland - and encourages everyone to submit on ongoing consultation!
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Up until about a decade ago most Aucklanders probably didn’t give much thought to the berm - the patch of grass between the kerb and the footpath. By default people generally respected the berm as a no parking zone - a hangover from pre-amalgamation days when councils would ticket drivers using the berm for parking.
The place and value of the berm burst into the limelight during “bermgate” in 2013 when Auckland Council cut the budget to Auckland Transport for the berm mowing service that had been funded from general rates. Suddenly berm maintenance became the responsibility of adjoining home owners (with a few exceptions). It created an opportunity to show our love for the berm beyond just a strip of grass in need of mowing. The first attempts were made at developing berm planting guidelines to recognise the placemaking and amenity value of the berm, rather than Auckland Transport’s set of strict rules intended to discourage planting for “safety” reasons (a cause that continues to be championed by Councillor Julie Fairey).
Berm appreciation has grown further since the inception of Auckland Council’s Urban Ngahere strategy in 2018, resulting in the planting of thousands of mature street trees on the berms, increasing the urban canopy and shade along road corridors. Berms are loved as a place for play, for swings from trees, a safe zone to walk and linger, and a sponge reducing the impact of extreme weather events. The damage, and corresponding cost, that can be caused to the grass, trees, plantings, and to the underground utilities, are one reason the berm is unsuitable for parking. Another, of course, is that when drivers drive and park on the berm, the place is no longer safe for others, nor available for its other uses.
However, the social contract that, for the most part, has kept drivers off the berms (and not driving on footpaths to access berms) has been increasingly strained as drivers seek out free parking and car storage. The responsibility to mow the berm has been taken as licence to use the berm for convenient parking.
The issue has been further exacerbated by AT’s failure to enforce berm parking. Following legal advice in 2015, AT has taken the position, unlike most Metro councils, that signage must be installed before enforcement action can be taken. This is a time consuming and expensive process adding clutter and obstacles to berms. (Attempts to lobby for a law change via LGNZ to clarify that signage is not required to enforce berm parking has previously failed and AT has also not been persuaded by well reasoned analysis outlining why the current law is in fact adequate to protect what should be considered the pedestrian realm).
Currently AT still has a priority list of 230 sites (from over 2500 requests) where parking off the roadway would be prohibited. There are only resources to resolve approximately 10 locations each year with signage at a cost of $3k per location and a process that takes 6 months. This enforcement anomaly puts further pressure on berms and opens the way for more parking and more damage.
There is a fresh opportunity to show our berms renewed love and attention via Auckland Transport and Auckland Council Traffic-related Bylaws consultation. It is a minor change, but feedback is needed to keep the berm love heading in the right direction.
The proposal to define ‘off roadway parking’ more clearly to include berms (and public parks and deliberately planted areas) is intended to increase certainty about where parking is prohibited allowing AT to install signage more quickly without going through a resolution process. Without public support for the new bylaw there is a risk that parking will be further pushed on to our berms and the behaviour normalised. AT and AC need a strong message that berm parking is not the solution to parking pressures and it is for AT to take enforcement action rather than wait for a problem to be reported or damage to occur.
Before Wednesday 4th December, use the online feedback form to support AT’s main proposal to create a single joint traffic bylaw: Te Ture ā-Rohe mō te Whakamahinga me te Whakatūnga Waka 2025 / Vehicle Use and Parking Bylaw 2025.
Show your berm love under the feedback topic: AT and AC propose supporting changes to 6 topics in the proposed joint Bylaw: Clarifying rules about parking vehicles off a roadway (the general feedback box can also be used).
In the feedback detail why you love the berms and the value you see the berm providing - for placemaking, play, walking, lingering, planting, for mature trees and a place for drivers to access vehicles parked on the road (as well as the harm vehicles can cause by driving and parking on berms).
Request AT and AC take all necessary steps to discourage berm parking (advocating for a law change as necessary) and state why AT should not wait for political or community feedback before taking enforcement action. AT needs to be managing parking proactively as part of delivering a safe, effective and efficient transport system.
Love your berm and the space our green nature strips provide for people, trees and plants.