Media Release

September 5 2013

Weymouth-Karaka Bridge off the table

Manurewa Civic Leaders are delighted that Auckland Council decided this morning to scrap proposed plans to build a $200 million dollar bridge between Weymouth and Karaka as part of the Unitary Plan.

Manurewa-Papakura Councillors Sir John Walker and Calum Penrose are pleased that council colleagues voted for the Southern RUB to extend to the South.

"This bridge would only have been needed if the Rural-Urban Boundary had been allowed to extend westwards towards Karaka." Says Councillor Calum Penrose.

"Councillors instead voted to extend the RUB eastwards and southwards along major transport corridors averting the need for the proposed bridge and saving the residents of Weymouth and Karaka the heartbreak of having their pristine locations destroyed by a major highway being built through the heart of their communities." Says Calum Penrose

Manurewa Local Board Chair Angela Dalton says the bridge has only been stopped because of the advocacy from Cllrs Penrose and Walker, reflecting the position of the Manurewa Local Board as well as Weymouth and Karaka residents.

"The residents of Weymouth and Karaka should never have been put through the uncertainty that this draft Unitary Plan put them through." Says Ms Dalton.

"Right from the start it was clear the bridge should never have even been proposed. It isn't affordable and it required extensive expansion of the RUB westwards away from major transport routes such as the railway and motorway.

"This isn't the vision of the Unitary Plan." Says Ms Dalton.

Manurewa Local Board Member and Transport Lead George Hawkins says that this is an important victory for the Manurewa-Papakura ward councillors, which will benefits the residents of Weymouth who have also fought hard to stop this bridge.

"The Manurewa Action Team is committed to doing all we can to support the residents of Manurewa. We have supported Weymouth throughout this process and we are pleased with this result." Says Mr Hawkins.

ENDS

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