Councils urged to “make a decision” on the SH20

Motorway Network Completion in 8 years

11 October 2005

Auckland councils urged to “make a decision” on the SH20 Avondale route

The Auckland Business Forum wants Auckland’s local councils to decide their preferred route for the SH20 Western Ring Route.

Ahead of local government meetings to decide on which route option to support on the critical Avondale section, Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett said every day the route decision is delayed means that Transit’s promised “package” for an accelerated programme to complete the Western Ring Route by 2015 is under threat.

Commenting after yesterday’s Forum meeting, Mr Barnett noted that construction had just started on the Mt Roskill Extension, but was not due to commence on either the Avondale and Manukau Harbour Crossing sections for another 4 years.

“That is hard to accept, given that Transit has had a preferred option on the Avondale link since 2002, but Auckland and Waitakere City Councils had not yet ratified which route they preferred.”

“There is an overwhelming case to resource Transit so it can complete the full corridor over the next 8 years,” he said. “Eight years is achievable but it requires local authorities becoming as insistent and decisive on getting the job done as the business community and Transit.”

With the region losing $830 million of economic benefits every year the western corridor remains unfinished, there is an overwhelmingly strong case for taking “a whole route approach” and actioning the project around an 8 year work programme.

“Councils meeting this week to sort out the route they want for the corridor need to make clear, unambiguous decisions backed by strong insistence to Transit to apply the maximum resources to its completion in the timeframe confirmed last August, or earlier.”

ENDS

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