North Shore local board members call to be included in decision on additional harbour crossing

John Gillon from John Gillon - Kaipatiki Local Board

An open letter to Waka Kotahi, Auckland Transport and Auckland Council from individual members of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Kaipātiki Local Board.

29 September 2020

We, the undersigned democratically-elected members of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Kaipātiki Local Board, representing more than 150,000 people across the North Shore, call on the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to:

i. involve North Shore local boards in the discussion and decision-making process around an additional multi-modal Waitematā Harbour crossing;
ii. issue a clear timeframe for the construction of the additional crossing;
iii. prioritise the additional crossing due to the vulnerability of this vital transport connection made clear by recent events.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge is a vital section of State Highway One, connecting the North Shore with the rest of the Auckland region. It is an important link in New Zealand’s economy as it allows the flow of freight and employment across the Auckland region and beyond.

The damage caused to the Auckland Harbour Bridge by the recent incident, and the resulting huge levels of congestion experienced on the North Shore and central city, clearly demonstrates the urgent need for an additional multi-modal solution (including road and rail) to provide the resilience that Auckland needs.

While we acknowledge and thank Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Transport for the speed with which the disruption was minimised, the recent incident has exposed the economic and societal risk of relying on a single piece of ageing infrastructure. The closure of a number of lanes on the bridge as we wait for permanent repairs has caused significant disruption and stress to businesses and communities.

As local board members, we must be able to share the views of the communities that we represent, and be involved in the decision-making process of major infrastructure in our area.

We therefore request an urgent meeting with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to discuss the above matters regarding an additional Waitematā Harbour crossing.

Yours sincerely,

Members of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board:
Aidan Bennett
Jan O’Connor
Trish Deans
Ruth Jackson
Toni van Tonder
George Wood

Members of the Kaipātiki Local Board:
John Gillon
Paula Gillon
Danielle Grant
Melanie Kenrick
Cindy Schmidt
Adrian Tyler

For further information, contact:
Ruth Jackson 021611357 or Paula Gillon 02102951535