Auckland to study Greenway light-rail plan

By JASON COLLIE

Council support for an extension of the Southwestern Motorway has been put on hold while a revolutionary light-rail scheme is investigated.

Transit New Zealand yesterday asked the Auckland City Council transport committee for approval to lengthen State Highway 20 from Hillsborough Rd to Richardson Rd, but was knocked back after public transport campaigners presented their Greenway light-rail project.

Councillors declined to support the $70 million four-lane highway and asked for a report on the alternative $90 million, 10km light-rail, cycling and walking link from Penrose to Avondale.

The committee also wanted more details from Transit on social and environmental effects of extending the motorway, which Transit expects will eventually connect to the Northwestern Motorway.

The decision angered the chairmen of both the Avondale and Mt Roskill Community Boards, who had given the new road their blessing. But Campaign for Public Transport spokesman Steve Doole was pleasantly surprised that the council wanted to know more about the Greenway project.

Mt Roskill residents want the new road to divert congestion from Hillsborough Rd. "Our people are sick and tired of the mucking around and lack of action by this committee or council," said community board chairman Graeme Mulholland.

"The Greenway is a new proposal. How many schemes will come up month after month to delay what is urgently needed?"

Avondale board chairman Jeff Iversen, who wants to see the Southwestern Motorway extended to Rosebank Rd, with a tunnel completing a link to the Northwestern, said the committee was signalling it was throwing out State Highway 20 in favour of the Greenway plan.

Councillor Victoria Carter denied the committee was trying to scuttle the project. "We have received some interesting information from the Campaign for Public Transport and I would like to make a thoroughly informed decision. I do not believe I would do that by voting today."

Mr Doole had told the committee Auckland needed to try different options. "The Greenway will do a better job than a motorway. Why? Because it will not give us more cars."

Transit senior transport planning engineer John Raines believed the Greenway could run on the railway line that is part of Transit's plan for State Highway 20.

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