'Think small' station plan signals end for Britomart

By BERNARD ORSMAN

The Auckland City Council is thinking of ditching a grand central Britomart station for a simple transport interchange.

This would end the ambitious $218 million plan to develop the dilapidated Britomart area into a central transport terminal with lots of open spaces and restored heritage buildings.

It would also dash the hopes of rail commuters, who have waited 70 years for trains to return to the bottom of Queen St.

Under the proposal, to be put to councillors tomorrow, trains would stop at the existing Auckland Railway Station in the Strand.

From there a rapid transit system - such as light rail or guided buses - would go to a smaller transport interchange at Britomart and on up Queen St, to the university, Auckland Hospital and the western rail line near Khyber Pass Rd.

The rapid transit system would use the railway station-Britomart Place tunnel, already built at a cost of $15 million to Auckland ratepayers for use by trains.

But instead of building a $136 million train terminal under the old Chief Post Office, the new plan provides for a much cheaper terminal above ground.

Several city councillors have balked at the $218 million replacement for Britomart, and are likely to support aspects of the alternative proposal.

Transport committee chairwoman Catherine Harland said last night that the concept was worth exploring. But she was upset details were made public before councillors and transport operators had been briefed.

Releasing details would not help the design competition for Britomart, which started next month, she said.

The council's director of strategic developments, Wayne Donnelly, said stalled negotiations with Tranz Rail over access to its rail corridors had prompted the latest plan.

He said the council had to keep its options open.

Tranz Rail spokesman Paul Spackman said any decision not to bring rail into Queen St would have severe implications.

"We don't care how, but if Auckland really wants to have rail corridors to work, they have to get into Queen St. Otherwise rail will always underperform."

Mr Spackman did not accept that Tranz Rail was to blame for the new plan, saying decisions about Britomart were matters for the council.

"It's all to do with the City of Auckland, and they have to address why they have got to this situation," he said.

"To try and shift the blame on to us is unacceptable."

Transport Minister Mark Gosche is also concerned about the $218 million price tag on a replacement Britomart terminal.

He said the proposal was "not sending the right signals" when local bodies wanted central Government help on public transport.

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