Wayne Mapp MP for North Shore

24 November 2004

Mapp says get moving on tunnel

North Shore Member of Parliament, Wayne Mapp, is calling on Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard and North Shore Mayor George Wood to work together with local MPs to ensure the Auckland harbour tunnel project gets off the ground.

His comments follow reports that Mr Hubbard has voiced support for the project.

“It’s great that Dick Hubbard has endorsed my initiative for a harbour tunnel to link North Shore to Auckland City,” says Dr Mapp.

“What is needed is for Auckland City and North Shore to take a joint initiative to get this project off the ground and keep Auckland moving.”

Dr Mapp says this is the only project in the Auckland region that can be wholly funded by tolls, with over 160,000 vehicles already crossing each day.

“It is time that Transit accelerated this project so we don’t have to wait until 2020 before it becomes a reality,” he says.

“If we plan for this project now, it could be ready within 10 years.”

It only took seven years, from conception, for the Sydney Harbour four-lane tunnel to be planned and built. The Sydney tunnel cost $750 million in 1992 and Sydney Tunnel Engineers, Connell Wagner, estimate the Auckland tunnel would cost around $1.5 billion, given its similarities to the Sydney project.

“It’s time for Auckland’s leaders to work together to make an Auckland Harbour tunnel a reality,” says Dr Mapp.

ENDS

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