Catch the train and use public transport, urges the council - but we're scrapping the Orakei station's parking. Locals are perplexed at the 'logic' behind this, writes Valerie Schuler.
Orakei's park and ride is jam-packed on a midweek morning. As the 9am train rattles past, the only free parking spot is
in a five-minute drop-off zone.Flashpoint
Laid out by Auckland City Council in 2007, the 200 parking spaces beside Orakei train station are always full.
But proposed developments for the area - including a new, underground train station - do not include parking space for commuters.
Keith Savory, of St Heliers/Glendowie Residents' Association, says that decision is "an absolute shocker".
"If there's nowhere for commuters to park their cars, this will become a private railway station for those who live in the new apartments," he says.
Others agree the development could be a step backwards for public transport in the area.
"They prepared the current Orakei park and ride at great expense and it is always full. Now they are going to take it away altogether and dedicate it to the new development's residents only. It astounds me," says Gaye Harford of Mission Bay Residents' Association.
The latest Orakei Point Master Plan is a partnership of Redwood Group, the Equinox Group and Auckland City Council. It entails a change to the district plan to allow for a major, transit-oriented development at Orakei Point.
A confidential Memorandum of Understanding obtained by The Aucklander states that "integration of the park and ride facility into the overall development" is a key outcome.
But an architectural model of the proposed development does not feature commuter parking. Neither do the latest plans on the council's website.
Mr Savory says his group has made its concerns known on several occasions.
"Every time we make a submission, it gets ignored.
"The council seems to pay lip service to organisations like ours."
Redwood Group director Tony Gapes says he's "not sure" if there will be a park and ride at the new train station.
The council says the park and ride will be retained, but only until stage four of the project begins.
"The existing park and ride was always a temporary one," says the general manager of transport, Penny Pirrit.
"The policy is not to have park and rides close to the CBD because that does not encourage people to use public transport."
When the development is finished in 10 to 15 years, there will be a shuttle bus for people who don't live within walking distance. Mr Savory says that's just not good enough.
"It's only logical that if you build a new train station, there should be a place for people to leave their cars. Otherwise, how will they encourage people to use it? It's ridiculous."
The Redwood Group originally applied to build 146 apartments on Orakei Rd as the Orakei Point Development.
After vast opposition from Remuera and Orakei people, the plans expanded into a mixed use community, anchored by a new transport hub and underground train station. Concerns about building heights and traffic congestion caused the plans to be changed yet again. The first draft of the master plan included 13-storey towers, but was dropped. There is now a five-storey height restriction and plans for "generous" parkland and a circuit walk.
The required change to the district plan has been widely publicised. The Redwood Group held open days in 2009, with public consultation closing in March.
There is no timeline yet or indication of when construction will begin. A public hearing will be convened in July.
