Media Release

June 6 2007

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey has praised all those involved in the hard work of the now completed  double tracking of the western line to Henderson.

“It’s a very happy coincidence the new double track opened on World Environment Day (June 5) because in Waitakere, New Zealand’s first eco city, it’s not just about planting trees,” Mayor Harvey said.

“It’s about supporting initiatives like public transport which will eventually reduce our carbon emissions, and that’s imperative for the survival of this planet.

"And not only that, this new rail system is easier and cheaper given Auckland’s traffic congestion and it’s getting more reliable every day. Even better the government has committed dollars to electrification and that’s going to be a very exciting initiative for Auckland and the region.”

Mayor Harvey said the double tracking and Waitakere’s new overbridge from Railside Ave to the council’s new civic square was an integral part of the revitalising of Henderson’s CBD and he supported calls to the public to use the rail system.

“We’ve got something fantastic happening out west and I urge everyone to get behind these environmental initiatives which, while Waitakere started, are now mainstream.”

ENDS