Media Release
22 November 2006

Waitakere Public Meeting On Tolling

The Massey Community Board has arranged a public meeting so residents can hear first-hand how tolling may affect them.

The meeting will be held on Thursday 30 November at the Marina View School Hall in Massey commencing 8pm. Transit NZ, which is proposing to toll the “Western Ring Route” will attend and make a presentation on their plans.

The proposed Western Ring Route will bring traffic from north of Auckland along a new motorway between Albany and Westgate and along the North Western motorway before linking to the new State Highway 20 via Auckland city’s western suburbs, to Mangere, Manukau City and ultimately reconnecting with State Highway One, south of Auckland.

Transit says it does not have $800 million it needs to complete the road in the foreseeable future and to ensure it is completed quickly, it proposes to introduce tolls.
Waitakere City Council has already expressed its opposition to the plan, as has the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council.

“We believe there are very questionable benefits to the people of Waitakere city and we’d like people to hear directly from Transit so they can make informed submissions on the issue. We expect this to be a constructive discussion,” says Graeme Barnard, Chairman of the Massey Community Board.

Members of the public are invited to email stephen.mcdaid@waitakere.govt.nz their questions and concerns in advance so that Council can arrange to have them addressed at the meeting. There will also be an opportunity for the public to ask questions on the evening.

Members of the public have until December 4 to make submissions to Transit NZ on the proposal.

ENDS

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