Court gives green light to busway plan

By STUART DYE

The Environment Court has given its seal of approval to the North Shore Busway.

The decision, rejecting appeals against various aspects of the project, means work on the busway can begin by the end of the year.

Only one hurdle remains - the recent Government announcement of a review of all transport projects costing more than $20 million.

It marks the end of a saga lasting almost a decade which has seen delays due to funding, resource consents, legal wrangling and endangered birds.

The consent process has involved 13 designations and more than 20 resource management hearings.

And there was another delay for the resiting of nests for eight rare dotterels living on the Shoal Bay foreshore.

In less time, Melbourne has designed and built a 7km, multi-lane, tolled highway costing nearly $500 million.

But the Environment Court has now confirmed all necessary designations related to the 8.5km $200 million project.

Transit regional manager Wayne McDonald said the approval was good news for the busway and the extension of public transport services on the North Shore.

"It means that we can now proceed confidently with final design of the busway and the stations and also with our funding applications so that construction can begin as soon as possible."

There were originally nine appeals against the Transit designations, 10 appeals against the North Shore City Council and seven appeals against the combined Transit-council resource consents.

Of these, only two appeals required decisions from the Environment Court as the others were settled by agreement.

As a result of the Environment Court decision, the following designations have now been approved:

* The 8.5km busway comprising two lanes from Constellation Drive to Esmonde Rd interchange and a single bus priority lane from Esmonde Rd interchange to the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

* The Esmonde Rd interchange, featuring a two-lane tunnel beneath the southbound on-ramp and Esmonde Rd to Akoranga Drive connection to accommodate the busway.

* Constellation bus station and park and ride facilities.

* Sunnynook bus station.

* Westlake bus station and connecting Shakespeare Rd extension.

* Akoranga bus station.

* Akoranga bus station link road to Fred Thomas Drive.

* Akoranga bus station over-bridge connection to the AUT campus.

* Modifications to the Onewa Rd interchange to accommodate the bus priority lane.

The Environment Court also added a condition requiring authorities to discuss with Westlake Girls' High School the enabling of school buses at Westlake station, as well as on the roading network around the school.

The busway is one of three projects in Auckland due to get under way this year, according to the country's 10-year transport plan.

But they are all subject to review to ensure they fit within the Government's transport strategy and pending legislation reforming the road funding framework.

By 2006, the dedicated busway will be built next to the Northern Motorway from the Harbour Bridge to Constellation Drive.

It is expected to shorten travel times, cutting an Albany to Fanshawe St trip from 36 minutes to 15 minutes by 2011, and to entice more Harbour Bridge commuters to catch a bus.