David Thornton: Roading overlord seems toothless tiger

COMMENT

John Banks has staked his mayoralty on it, with the full support and encouragement of his Manukau counterpart, Sir Barry Curtis, but will the new Auckland Regional Transport Authority allow it?

The eastern highway, in whatever form is finally proposed, will be the first big test for the authority.

This creature of central Government has been imposed on Auckland as part of the price its local bodies are having to pay in return for additional funding to sort out the region's transport problems.

The transport authority becomes a subsidiary of the Auckland Regional Council and has been given considerable operational powers to sort out the traffic mess.

The regional council itself is expressing concern about the ultimate accountability of the authority, and the council's limited power to intervene in its decision-making.

One of the authority's powers is to decide the priority of Auckland roading projects, including the eastern highway.

However, both Auckland and Manukau Cities seem to be pursuing a policy of "we will build it in spite of what the rest of the region feels".

How will this approach match up to the claims last December that this is a region which is now going to work together with a single authority in charge of all traffic and transport issues?

The first flaw in that is that Transit and Transfund have retained control over all state highway projects in the region, and the eastern highway would no doubt be classified as a state highway.

It seems there will be a Banks-Curtis drive to get Transfund, Transit and a private organisation to come up with a funding and construction package, thus bypassing the region's transport one-stop overlord, the transport authority.

Similarly, where does that leave the regional council and its regional land transport strategy and regional growth strategy?

It is quite clear that Sir Barry and Mr Banks are giving the fingers to these regional strategies, particularly the transport strategy, which gives a low-level priority to the eastern highway. All seems set for a total undermining of what was intended by introducing a single authority to solve the region's impending transport crisis.

And in all of this the regional council will be like a toothless tiger; master of the transport jungle in name only.

The regional council can appoint directors to the transport authority but has little say in anything else, despite being the body supposedly accountable to the public for the authority's performance.

The role of the regional council and other local authorities will be limited to updating the regional land transport strategy, with which the authority must act in accordance but with the absolute power to prioritise.

Business lobbyists and some residents are strongly in favour of the eastern highway, although not all agree on its scope.

But in regional terms it was only a few days ago that we were all whooping with glee at the announcement that two major sections of the western bypass had been provided with funding and were moving ahead.

Can this region afford two ring roads? Quite clearly the answer is no.

There are no funding sources readily available and the construction industry may not have the capacity to deal with Auckland's and the rest of New Zealand's demand for major new roading projects.

So what is the answer? The obvious solution is to complete the western bypass along its full length.

This would divert traffic from State Highway 1, thus creating additional capacity for traffic to and from large areas of south and east Auckland - the areas that claim to need the eastern highway.

The western bypass would also provide better access to Auckland Airport from west and north Auckland - another transport priority - and perhaps reduce the pressure for a second airport at Whenuapai.

With this alternative available, why should anyone be seriously demanding top priority for an eastern highway?

The test for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, the new transport superpower, and its tame master, the regional council, lies in deciding and reconciling the region's priorities.

And who will be held accountable to the region's long-suffering ratepayers, motorists and public transport passengers?

* David Thornton was formerly a North Shore City councillor and member of the regional land transport committee.