7 March 2005

Major passenger transport corridor progresses

The further development of passenger transport on Dominion Road is progressing with approval given today to seek funding for land purchase along the route.

Auckland City’s Transport and Urban Linkages Committee chairperson, Councillor Richard Simpson said the project was crucial to developing and strengthening the city’s passenger transport network.

“Dominion Road links the CBD, western rail line and Transit New Zealand’s future extensions to State Highway 20 (the western ring route), and will play a vital role in getting more people using passenger transport across the region.

“More and more people will live along, near or connected to Dominion Road and while existing passenger transport measures have been very successful in increasing the number of people busing and cycling along Dominion Road, we need to continue improving the bus system to ensure it remains efficient and effective in the future,” says Mr Simpson.

Designations for widening the road have been in place since the 1960s, with the route’s passenger transport designation confirmed mid 2004.

The designation requires the purchase of land along the route. Generally, this will be between 1 and 2 metres from the property frontages along Dominion Road. Buildings fronting on to Dominion Road within the Valley Road, Balmoral and Mt Roskill shopping centres will not be affected.

The land purchases will be used to widen the road, construct new bus stations, and make bus route changes around the Valley Road and Balmoral Road shopping centres.

“Our first priority is to get the funding approved so we can purchase land along the route as it’s required,” says Mr Simpson.

Along the 6km route, 290 properties will be affected in some way over the next 12 years. Land will be purchased and work completed in stages to ensure as little disruption as possible for residents, businesses and commuters.

“There’s no denying the scale of this project is huge, but the benefits to passenger transport outweigh the complexities.

“Dominion Road is already a passenger transport success story with buses now accounting for almost half of the people travelling along the road towards the city every morning peak. The project aims to build on this success by continuing the council’s investment in the route as growing passenger demands dictate,” says Mr Simpson.

Users of the route will see new bus bays, upgraded bus stops and related streetscape improvements within two to five years, with the widening of the footpath and road estimated to be completed within five to eight years.

While the focus is on improving the bus system, the corridor’s development will future-proof Dominion Road for new technologies including light rail.

Work will commence shortly on the development of plans for accompanying streetscape improvements.

Route deviations around the Valley Road and Balmoral Road shopping centres are planned for six to eight and 10 to 12 years respectively.

The project is expected to cost $53.5m in total. The council will continue to lobby central and regional transport funding agencies for additional subsidies for projects of regional significance, such as the Dominion Road passenger transport corridor development.

ENDS

© Scoop Media