Len Brown pledges to stop Option 4 if re-elected – big new road will have to find a new route

After two weeks of mounting pressure, incumbent Auckland Mayor Len Brown has agreed to block Option 4 for Auckland Transport’s AMETI East-West link if he is re-elected mayor.

Option four threatens hundreds of homes in Mangere and Otahuhu while proposing a tunnel under Kings College to avoid disturbing the cricket pitch for the sons of the ruling elite.

“Option 4 was always an outrageous proposal and we are delighted the incumbent Mayor has seen the community anger and will veto Option 4 from consideration by the Council,” says Mana Movement candidate for Auckland Mayor, John Minto.

In a discussion with John Minto at the Mangere market on Saturday Len Brown agreed the destruction of hundreds of homes was unacceptable and that while it had been put up as an option it would not get his support.

“It just won’t happen – it’s never going to get past my office if I’m re-elected” the incumbent Mayor assured locals at the market.

Len Brown has been invited to speak about his opposition to the road at a community meeting to be held this Saturday at 4pm at Sutton Park School in Mangere East.

This is a victory for the Mana Movement which initiated the campaign to stop the new road. It’s also a big win for a newly formed campaign group called “Respect our Community” which met last week to fight the new road.

In the meantime Minister of Transport Gerry Brownlee is being asked to confirm the government will also agree to veto Option 4. These roads are jointly agreed between the council and the government and such an assurance from Brownlee would remove any doubt about Option 4.

The only candidate giving outright support to the road is Manukau Ward Councillor and ex National Party MP Arthur Anae who told Mana’s John Minto last week that he supported the new road even if it meant hundreds of family homes would be destroyed.

The other Manukau Ward Councillor Alf Filipaina has refused to speak publicly on the Option 4 proposal despite being asked directly to do so.
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