Chaos on the streets of Kaipātiki this morning (Monday 21 September), due to damage to the Harbour Bridge, has resulted in traffic backlogs on residential streets and people taking ‘hours’ to get to work.

The Shore Action members of the Kaipātiki Local Board are urging Auckland Transport (AT) to urgently assist North Shore residents who are struggling to get to work.

“We call on Auckland Transport to provide free or heavily subsidised ferry and bus fares to North Shore residents while the Auckland Harbour Bridge is being repaired. In addition, we believe more ferry and bus services need to be added. Many people have been struggling due to the Covid-19 epidemic and the resulting restrictions, and this further strain on employment and the economy is stretching people to breaking point.”

“The Shore Action team have long called upon Auckland Transport, Auckland Council and the Waka Kotaki NZ Transport Agency to urgently progress the designs and construction of an additional harbour crossing. It is completely frustrating to see that these authorities have been ignoring our economic reliance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge - a piece of ageing infrastructure.”

“We are especially concerned that while successive Governments and Councils have been committed to rapid population growth and development, the investment in necessary infrastructure has been lacking. This has been shown recently through the failure and closure of Northcote Point Ferry Wharf, the water crisis, and, now through damage to the main link between the North Shore and the rest of Auckland.”

The Shore Action members of the Kaipātiki Local Board are: Adrian Tyler, Danielle Grant, John Gillon, Melanie Kenrick and Paula Gillon.

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