waikiore 405 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Interesting to see the Milford Bridge operator attempting to lower the bridge to allow foot traffic across after specifically responding to a VHF call agreeing to hold it up to allow boats entering with an easterly and building sea behind them. This occurred yesterday afternoon, and was particularly dangerous, before these 'security men' are put in charge of the bridge they need training that points out that navigation of craft has priority over all else. ATOC has a disaster waiting to happen here, its only for the high tide period this issue but the planners obviously don't understand this as the operator sleeps in his hut through the low tide. Unlike the viaduct there is absolutely no turning room or way of stopping or backing up here, and the piles to tie to can not be approached by anyone except runabouts or those with the shallowest of draught because of a large grid put there by the bridge constructors. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin McCready 83 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 WOW. Appalling. Has bridge operator been debriefed and their management? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 IIRC - didn't AC change the consent requirements so that it has to be called to be up rather than left up during high tides - i.e. those pesky scooter bound pedestrians take precedence! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
khayyam 77 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 from what i've seen, the bridge comes up fast enough that i wouldn't expect issues either way... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted February 1, 2016 Author Share Posted February 1, 2016 ScottiE you are correct on that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 you can be sure that the beaurocrats will close ranks on any issue that may or may not have occured. There won't be a bloke asleep in a hut next to the bridge - it'll be controlled from "central command" in the city and probably on some stupid auto time loop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Wait!!! You mean this bridge is a lift up job and needs someone there to man it?What a waste of money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
khayyam 77 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 the person on site is supposed to be temporary... 6 months? to make sure there aren't any problems with the automatic/remote operation, as I understand it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 So if it is automatic, than why is the blame on the security guy? It must be more a fault of how the bridge works. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Share Posted February 2, 2016 At this stage it is operated on demand from the boaties by a man on site, this week it was meant to revert to a controller in the city motorway network room, however after issues such as when it jammed whilst a number of boats were trying to exit for an evening race there appears to still be someone there. The big issue is the cameras installed do not show the creek entrance which one would reasonably suppose is crucial to the safe operation of the facility. Unlike the viaduct you are committed once past the first marker and you can not slow down or risk losing steerage, there is certainly no possibility of turning for anything bigger than a runabout. In fact the coastguard did the right thing and requested the operator leave the bridge up on Monday till some vessels were in, well done them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AJ Oliver 154 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Is this the one? Yah, we've had these proposed in our area, but no one could figure out how to make them work reliably - especially when weather is on the way returning boats are supposed to have priority. Or this one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 Fairly accurate high tide -low tide shots Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Another cock up for the bridge operators yesterday, jammed down for 35 mins while boats waited to get out, how long will it take for them to realise that nobody needs to man it at low tide- there are no boats, conversely at hi tide boats have priority and they have created an obstruction to a navigable waterway. Its high time the harbour master got involved here as safety of people and craft is being put in jeopardy. I can see why the previous Harbour Masters did not want a bar of it as the potential for harm and the resultant legal liability is quite something -all paid for by our rates! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Still problems with this bridge, unmanned as of last weekend and the VHF appears unmanned as well, no reply for a number of callers so have to resort to cellphone, this is a navigational hazard, the spotlights blind people coming and going- are they legal on a navigable waterway? And when calling on the VHF the viaduct control can clearly be heard (same channel) so Atoc wherever they are - are not listening. Would Mr Goff like to comment on this fiasco? Certainly the Harbourmaster he trained under -Captain James Mcpetrie would have had a say on behalf of all mariners. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 Positive changes, the operator answered VHF in the weekend and raised the bridge promptly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin McCready 83 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 The exchange on Channel 16 last Saturday morning was classic. Wish I'd recorded it. There was still a problem then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Kevin, can you remember it?? even a ruff recall of it would be fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin McCready 83 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I didn't catch who it was but he was measured and careful and had all the facts and figures and handled himself with a firmness and aplomb which I greatly admired and enjoyed (subtext = I was laughing out loud that someone could stick it to Auckland Transport so nicely and so publicly). The whole exchange would make great radio training listening because there were also comms problems between the boat and Channel 16 (#16) which were sorted out by double and triple confirmations. The #16 operator seemed to be from the Wellington Search and Rescue because he said he was also coordinating a guy off the rocks at Raglan and something else. #16 also handled it well and had not heard of the issue before. The boat said it was a safety issue and he wasn't able to get through on the VHF as was the protocol. When asked if there was a phone number he said yes and gave the Auckland Transport number. I think he said sometimes the phone wasn't answered and that in any case the VHF should be responded to. He asked #16 to follow it up and they said they would but it might take half an hour or so because of other emergencies in progress. I was left with the distinct impression that this was a rather big fail from Auckland Transport. I can't recall if I read it somewhere or the boat said on #16 during this exchange that the default should be: if comms go down then the bridge is left up. Now that we've got a record of Search and Rescue identifying the problem and presumably raising it with Auckland Transport, I would hope that someone has some firm words to Auckland Transport and that boats and lives are not put at risk in future. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 405 Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 Milford Bridge control channel 73, or in desperation ph 3092485 PS Knot Me there is a miserable neglected racing L class that needs releasing from the creek, but I am sure you knew that.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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