03 December 2009

Time for action on harbour crossing has arrived says North Shore Mayor

The time for talk is over and the time for action has arrived, North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said today in response to the prospect of years more indecision before a new harbour crossing is finally built.

“We have known for a decade or more that another harbour crossing is essential and that a road and rail tunnel is by far the best option, yet the authorities seem determined to deliver us more plans for yet more reports and feasibility studies to tell us what the last reports and feasibility studies have already told us,” Mayor Williams said.

“In May 2008, the Waitemata Crossing Study Team, after a number of years of studies, recommended the “four tunnel option 2C”, two road and two rail tunnels to the east of the Bridge, after narrowing a long list of 159 options. Now we are confronted with more reports and studies, and more delay.

“It is time to stop the navel gazing, soul searching and hand wringing and get on with designing and building the road and rail tunnels to come to the rescue of the crumbling Auckland Harbour Bridge, which will need major reconstruction of its “clip-ons” in about 20 years.”

“We need to run the rail lines right up the "rail contoured" busway to Orewa in the north and south through the future CBD underground rail loop, and we need to connect the SH1 road tunnel under Victoria Park to connect with Spaghetti Junction.”

“We are told that it could still take up to 10 years to make a decision on the new harbour crossing, and then another 10 years to build it. I understand the 50 kilometre channel tunnel between England and France took seven years to build, yet despite advances in tunnel construction since, our 4 kilometre tunnel will take three years longer to build.”

“There is no reason on earth why we cannot set ourselves a definite target of having the road and rail tunnel and North Shore rail network completed by 2020. If this is a pipe dream, then Aucklanders can hold out little hope for the super city realising its promise of having a world class transport system,” Mayor Williams said. “Our motorways and arterials will be a massive stalled car park by then if swift action is not taken.”

Mayor Williams added that the Johnny-come-lately proposal for a total replacement harbour bridge would be massively disruptive - socially, environmentally and economically - to Northcote, Freemans Bay, St Mary’s Bay, the CBD and waterfront. The tunnels option would allow the existing harbour bridge to become much more of an “Auckland CBD local road” which could also accommodate pedestrian and cycle traffic.

“Eventual extension of the southern rail network to Auckland Airport would deliver a fast and reliable electric rail system covering the four points of the compass, taking pressure off the road network, expanding the wider regional connectivity of transport modes, and enhancing the resilience and flexibility of the total transport network,” Mayor Williams said.

ENDS

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