28 June 2013

Transport Package Big Move Forward for South Auckland

Manurewa-Papakura Councillor Calum Penrose and Manurewa Local Board Chair Angela Dalton are welcoming the Government’s announcement that an extra lane will be fast tracked for the Southern Motorway south of Manurewa as funding is moved forward.

Councillor Calum Penrose and the Manurewa Local Board have been advocating for an extra lane on the Southern Motorway and are pleased to hear that funding will be brought forward to make this happen.

“We congratulate the Prime Minister on this announcement and thank Papakura MP Judith Collins for her advocacy in bringing this important issue to the attention of the Government around the Cabinet table,” says Councillor Penrose.

“An extra lane on the Southern motorway will help to ease the pressure on the motorway where 5 lanes currently merge into 2 lanes after SH 20 merges with SH 1 at Manukau.

“While much of the Prime Minister’s announcement focusses on the CBD and an extra harbour crossing, increasing the capacity of the Southern Motorway must be seen as a priority as it will open up economic and growth opportunities for the southern part of Auckland which is designated as a growth area under the Unitary Plan,” says Mr Penrose.

“We will be continuing to advocate for the redevelopment of the Takinini motorway interchange and an east-west Takinini link which is also an important part of unlocking these opportunities,” says Manurewa Local Board Chair Angela Dalton.

“Councillor Penrose has led the advocacy on the Takinini upgrade for a number of years. It made sense that I joined Councillor Penrose with this advocacy and it has been a pleasure to work alongside Calum who delivers results for his communities,” says Ms Dalton.

Councillor Calum Penrose and Angela Dalton will be writing to the Minister of Transport Gerry Brownlee to visit Takinini and see for himself the need to redevelop the Takinini interchange and the economic growth opportunities this will have for Auckland and New Zealand.

ENDS

© Scoop Media