Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

East-West Link project delay – “unacceptable”

East-West Link project delay – “unacceptable”

The slow pace of decision-making over the long-promised new East-West road on the north side of Mangere Inlet between SH1 at Mt Wellington and SH20 at Onehunga is shaping as a classic case study of why Auckland’s infrastructure provision is failing to keep pace with the city’s growth.

Calling on the agencies responsible for the project to take urgent action and get their act together with a scope and cost that addresses all critical issues, Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett said at the current rate of progress Auckland will have added another 180,000 people, road freight volumes will have doubled and gridlock on local roads will be end-to-end throughout the working day before construction begins.

“It is bad enough that it took from 2007 to 2013 for warnings about growing congestion at the Mt Wellington and Onehunga ends of the route to be taken seriously, when the Prime Minister John Key announced that the project would be accelerated.

Those warnings included that Auckland’s growth justified a new road being in place by 2020.

In 2014 the former Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee provided a written assurance that as soon as there was greater certainty over the project’s scope and cost “decisions about financial assistance to support construction will be provided.”

More than a year on there is still no satisfactory scope. A preferred route concept acceptable to the Forum and other stakeholders was announced months ago, but decisions are awaited on important detail like the absence of a SH1 connection for northbound traffic and ensuring it is fit for purpose with the rest of the network.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

"We're 90% of the way there with the planning for this project - don't spoil it by getting the last 10% wrong. As we have repeatedly said a partial solution will not be acceptable,” said Mr Barnett.

What’s holding up progress?

“Given the Prime Minister’s 2013 announcement that the project would be part of the Auckland Accelerated projects package, and the assurance about funding once the scope was agreed, we should be close to starting construction.”

The private sector would fund this project tomorrow as a PPP – the same as Wellington’s Transmission Gully.

Instead it seems that the two agencies co-ordinating the project, NZTA and Auckland Transport, are still arguing over the scope (even through respective Boards have signed off at a high level), and critical issues raised by stakeholders including the Forum are being ignored.

It is clearly not good enough for a City struggling to keep ahead of the growth curve and be a progressive city that New Zealanders can be proud of, concluded Mr Barnett.

Note to Editors: The East-West Connection was first proposed in the mid-1960s as part of the Auckland strategic road network needed by 1990 when Auckland’s population was projected to reach 1 million from its then 300,000. The area has grown into Auckland’s second highest employment area after the CBD and is New Zealand’s industrial heartland accounting for about 18% of Auckland’s GDP.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.