For Immediate Release 29 June 2004

Eastern highway part of an outdated transport concept, says Bruce Hucker

Auckland City mayoralty contender, Bruce Hucker, says there are much better options in the eastern corridor than the proposed eastern highway which is an outdated concept.

"I want to register my clear opposition to the roading component proposed between Glen Innes and the city", he said. He was speaking before tomorrow's (June 30) meeting of the Auckland City Council transport committee considering eastern highway options.

"Completion of the State Highway 20 link between the Southern Motorway and the Northwest will be much more effective in relieving congestion on State Highway 1. For the eastern corridor it would be preferable to have connections from State Highway 1 to East Tamaki through an Allens Road (East Tamaki) connection," he said.

"Those who talk about completion of the Auckland motorway network are talking about a network drawn up in the 1950s. Since then the economy and markets have changed significantly.

"The eastern transport corridor should be seen as part of an integrated way of moving people, goods and services across the region and not as helping complete a network with dubious relevance today."

Dr Hucker outlined what he called "today's real priorities".

* Complete the SH 20 extensions under urgency;

* Accelerate investment in integrated public transport to give Aucklanders a genuine option to leave their cars at home;

* Push much more creative development of inland ports as transfer centres, connected by rail - and by road from SH1 - to allow for the distribution of goods in a way that minimises congestion;

* Complete the work under way which provides a direct connection from the port through Stanley Street to SH1 and the widening of SH1;

* Complete the Spaghetti Junction project to link the Northern and Northwestern motorways.

Dr Hucker said: "The transport committee meeting tomorrow should kick the eastern highway into touch."

Dr Hucker will detail his full transport policy and other platforms at the official launch of his mayoralty campaign in Auckland on Sunday July 4.

ENDS

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