25 January 2013

City Rail Link Open for Public Comment

Another important step is being taken towards building the City Rail Link (CRL), an application to designate land to build and operate the CRL is now open for public comment.

Auckland Transport has served Notices of Requirement on Auckland Council to have the land, required to build and operate the CRL, identified in the District Plan. Submissions on this are open until March 19.

The City Rail Link is a 3.4km rail line from Britomart to Mount Eden which is predominantly underground.

CRL Project Director Claire Stewart says: “Eliminating the constraint posed by a dead end at Britomart will unlock the potential of the entire rail network and enable Aucklanders to have more trains, more often to more places.”

With three new city centre stations the CRL will double the number of people within 30 minutes travel time of the city and will shorten travel times across the entire rail network.

A recent study shows that without the CRL, Auckland’s existing public transport services will be at over capacity within a decade and city traffic will slow to walking speed.

Information relating to the six notices of requirement for the CRL and the submission form are available at http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/districtregionalplans

The usual 20 day period for submissions had been extended to 35 working days. Independent commissioners will consider the Notices of Requirement and anyone who makes a submission can choose to be heard.

General information on the CRL is available on the project website www.cityraillink.co.nz

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