27 June 2012

Two out of three Aucklanders back the CRL

Two out of three Aucklanders support the City Rail Link (CRL) according to independent research released yesterday.

Research New Zealand asked Aucklanders whether they approve or disapprove of Auckland Council’s plans to build an inner-city underground rail tunnel linking existing above ground networks coming from the south, east and west. The results show 63 per cent of respondents in favour of the link, 29 per cent against while the balance did not care or did not know.

“It is my view that the vast majority of Aucklanders understand just how critical this piece of infrastructure is to the future of our city because it will reduce journey times across the entire rail network,” says Mayor Len Brown.

As well as faster and more frequent rail journeys, the suite of upgrades including the CRL, network electrification and 57 new electric trains will bring economic and transport benefits of up to $3.8 billion to our economy. The project is the centrepiece of an integrated transport system that gives people choices about how they move around the region.

“Common misconceptions that the benefits won’t be felt beyond the central city are finally being dispelled and we can now move to an educated debate on how we pay for this and a number of other major infrastructure projects necessary to get our city moving.”

The other key projects are identified in the Auckland Plan and what the mayor refers to as his top three, are; the City Rail Link, the AMETI and East-West Link and the additional Waitemata Harbour crossing.

“Aucklanders want us to fix the region’s transport problems and we are getting on with it,” says the Mayor.

ENDS

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