Posted on 21-7-2004
Modified
Eastern Transport Corridor
From ACC, 21-7-04
Ed. That the Eastern Motorway is "now a credible project"
is not a
credible statement. The press release below shows how far the
two Mayors
are bending to kiss...
........press release follows............
The Eastern Transport Corridor (ETC) project has been modified
to a
credible development that can be staged, be substantially financed
by
private sector finance (PPP) and will create economic value
far beyond its
cost, the mayors of Auckland and Manukau cities, Hon John Banks
and Sir
Barry Curtis, said in a joint statement.
Both mayors are encouraging the Auckland Regional Council to
give greater
urgency to upgrading commuter rail infrastructure and services
in the
Eastern Transport Corridor.
Reporting progress following today’s meeting of the Eastern
Transport
Corridor Steering Group, the mayors said the next formal announcements
from the project partners will cover progress on staging, property
acquisition and funding issues.
Earlier this month Auckland City agreed to a modified project
along a
route that follows the already largely designated alignment,
including
crossing Hobson Bay without bus lanes and maximising the potential
of the
existing rail line.
The Manukau City Council is scheduled to confirm its preferred
route
options at a meeting on 29 July.
Immediately following the Manukau Council meeting, the two mayors
will
send a letter to property owners that follows up earlier communication.
The letter will provide details of the routes that the cities
have
discarded and confirm the decisions taken for moving the project
to its
next stage.
Both mayors today reconfirmed the importance of the two cities
working
together to relieve traffic congestion in all the suburbs of
east Auckland
by building a viable roading network and encouraging affordable
rail
services.
On staging the project, the mayors indicated that the next phase
of work
will likely involve each city taking a lead role on a specific
component
of the corridor’s development, and in particular:
 firming up options relating to Te Rakau Drive for
public
transport improvements and/or motorists linked with further
investigation
of the Allen’s Road route as already proposed to Manukau
City
 improving the Reeves Road intersection and Pakuranga/Panmure
Bridge sections and linking to new roading north towards Tainui
and St
Johns
 firming up options for roading improvements between
Mt
Wellington/ St Johns and ultimately across Hobson Bay to link
into the
central city at Tamaki Drive
 accelerating improvements to the existing rail
line
infrastructure and services between Britomart and Panmure, linked
with
improved local bus services in the eastern suburbs.
“We cannot stress enough the importance of giving residents
certainty
about our determination to improve transport infrastructure
and services
for people and businesses in the eastern suburbs,” said
the two mayors.
“Regardless of the October local government election,
we strongly believe
the overwhelming majority of citizens want improved access to
and around
the Glenn Innes – Panmure area. We are getting on with
it.”
On property acquisition, the mayors noted that because the project
had
been modified, especially in the Auckland City section, considerably
less
land would require to be purchased. Much of the currently designated
sections comprise land already owned either by Auckland City
or Transit.
To avoid future costs associated with possible development of
land needed
for the project, the steering group today recommended that Auckland
City
specify a land purchase funding strategy for the project, including
an
allocation for priority land purchases in the current year.
On funding, the mayors reported that feedback from a recent
visit to
Sydney to assess the potential for private sector investment
in the
project had been very positive.
“We are committed to attracting the private sector to
take a key role in
the project,” they said.
A work programme confirming staging, funding including private
sector
participation, route protection and land acquisition is on track
for
reporting to the August Steering Group meeting.
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