PRESS RELEASE

23 May 2007

Shambolic evidence on $5m intersection upgrade

Auckland City Council officers have presented the Eden Albert Community Board with a plan to widen the intersection of Mount Albert and Sandringham Roads using highly questionable data. The proposal is to widen the intersection of Mount Albert and Sandringham Roads by adding more traffic lanes, buying properties and moving footpaths.

"This intersection proposal has been justified with evidence that is contradictory, confusing and nonsensical. At $5 million the cost to ratepayers is absurd when the project cannot be properly justified," said Phil Chase, traffic spokesperson and local member of the Eden Albert Community Board.

"One of the justifications is the 2011 Rugby World Cup traffic. But no analysis or investigation is forthcoming on the multitude of temporary traffic measures that could cope with these few international games. This proposal is completely missing any mention of using park and ride, special buses, or integrated transport to move spectators to the games. Why won't these temporary measures be adequate, instead of expensive road modifications? We are not told."

"The proposal says that the Mount Roskill motorway completion in 2009 will increase traffic volumes on Mount Albert Road. But Transit NZ and past Auckland City traffic reports have consistently asserted that the new motorway will decrease local road traffic volumes. In 1999 Auckland City transport planner Ross Rutherford wrote that traffic volumes on Mount Albert Road would fall by 40% when SH20 in Mount Roskill was completed. The Board is being presented with completely contradictory evidence which makes a nonsense of the justifications for this project."

"And to top it all off we get an unreadable plan of the changes. The whole proposal is a mess."

I am happy to provide further information and arrange a site visit.

ends

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