Agencies Commit to Clean up of Mt Albert Train Station

In the past two weeks Eden Albert Ward Councillors Cathy Casey and Glenda Fryer have met with ARTA and Kiwirail in an effort to improve the surrounding environment and approaches to Mt Albert train station. Both Allen Bufton, ARTA's Acting General Manager, Project delivery and Jim Quinn the CEO of Kiwirail have committed to clearing up the land for which they have responsibility.

Cr Cathy Casey says problems of graffiti and litter and general mess around the Mt Albert train station is in four different funding buckets and so has been quite difficult to apportion blame. "ARTA has agreed to clean up the litter and graffiti along the paths and in the tunnels and Kiwirail will remove litter, fix broken fencing, weed out the scrub and remove the graffiti under Carrington Road overbridge. We will also ask Council to clean up the path to the station from the New North Road end and contact property owners who back on to the station to see if Council or the Community can assist them to tidy up the rear of their buildings and remove the graffiti."

Cr Glenda Fryer says "While Mr Albert Station deserves the makeover and promise of regular maintenance, there also needs to be a long-term plan in place for the whole rail corridor including a number for the public to call to report vandalism, graffiti and the like and an action plan to deal with it smartly. Auckland City Council has proved that zero tolerance for graffiti works, now Kiwiirail and ARTA need to make it a priority too."

The Councillors discussed with both ARTA and Kiwirail their vision for the future of Mt Albert Rail Station and say that if elected to the new Auckland Council, they will continue to push for progress on the development of the Mt Albert Station and the shopping with the new Auckland Transport Authority.

The issue is to be discussed at the Eden Albert Community Board on 28 July.

ENDS

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