Kia ora Emilia

 

This email acknowledges your below request for information made under the
Official Information Act 1982.

 

Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate section of NZ Transport
Agency Waka Kotahi for response. They will contact you if they require
clarification of your request, more time to respond, or if your request
has been transferred to another organisation to respond to. Unless more
time is required, NZ Transport Agency will send a response to you within
20 working days of receiving your request – in this instance on or before
8 July 2026.

 

If you would like to discuss your request with NZ Transport Agency, please
contact us by email at [1][NZTA request email].

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Ministerial Services
Te Waka Kôtuia | Engagement & Partnerships
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

[2]Connect with us on Social Media

 

[3][IMG]

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Emilia Sharp <[FYI request #34894 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 10 June 2026 11:48 pm
To: Official Correspondence <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Unlit red arrow at traffic lights

 

[You don't often get email from
[4][FYI request #34894 email]. Learn why this is
important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

 

Dear New Zealand Transport Agency,

 

I'm writing to ask for clarification around the behaviour of traffic
lights in NZ. There are many intersections where both a red left arrow and
a red disc appear on a single light post fixture that is fully populated
with 6 bulbs, 3 per aspect. At some times, both the red arrow and red disc
are lit. What I'd like clarification about is why there are times that
these same fixtures sometimes display a red disc but have the arrow aspect
completely unlit. This happens after the disc and arrow go from green to
yellow - while the disc turns red, the arrow turns off. Shortly after, the
left arrow turns green again when left turning traffic is protected by
right turning traffic entering the intersection from the traffic entering
the intersection perpendicularly to the left.

 

Given the above explanation, my questions are as follows:

 

1. What is the correct course of action for a driver in a controlled left
turning lane in this scenario?

 

2. Why was this implementation chosen over explicitly making the left
arrow red before turning it green again instead of having it unlit
briefly? What safety and psychological considerations/assessments have
been made regarding this? Is this implementation the result of a
technological limitation, a standard operating procedure, or something
else?

 

4. Is or was this situation documented on your website? If so, where? When
was this first and/or last present?

 

5. Is or was this situation documented in the road code book? If so,
where? When was this first and/or last present?

 

6. Is or was this situation documented in law? If so, where? When was this
first and/or last present?

 

Please omit any information you do not hold and answer what you can. If
you do not hold the information, please advise who you suppose does, where
applicable. Thank you for your time.

 

Yours faithfully,

Emilia Sharp

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[6][FYI request #34894 email]

 

Is [7][NZTA request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to New Zealand Transport Agency? If so, please
contact us using this form:

[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[9]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This message, together with any attachments, may contain information that
is classified and/or subject to legal privilege. Any classification
markings must be adhered to. If you are not the intended recipient, you
must not peruse, disclose, disseminate, copy or use the message in any
way. If you have received this message in error, please notify us
immediately by return email and then destroy the original message. This
communication may be accessed or retained by NZ Transport Agency Waka
Kotahi for information assurance purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NZTA request email]
2. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/contact-us/conn...
3. https://nzta.govt.nz/
4. mailto:[FYI request #34894 email]
5. https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
6. mailto:[FYI request #34894 email]
7. mailto:[NZTA request email]
8. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
9. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections