Motorway Network Completion in 8 years
11 October 2005
Auckland councils urged to “make a decision” on the SH20 Avondale route
The Auckland Business Forum wants Auckland’s local councils to decide their preferred route for the SH20 Western Ring
Route.
Ahead of local government meetings to decide on which route option to support on the critical Avondale section, Auckland
Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett said every day the route decision is delayed means that Transit’s promised
“package” for an accelerated programme to complete the Western Ring Route by 2015 is under threat.
Commenting after yesterday’s Forum meeting, Mr Barnett noted that construction had just started on the Mt Roskill
Extension, but was not due to commence on either the Avondale and Manukau Harbour Crossing sections for another 4 years.
“That is hard to accept, given that Transit has had a preferred option on the Avondale link since 2002, but Auckland and
Waitakere City Councils had not yet ratified which route they preferred.”
“There is an overwhelming case to resource Transit so it can complete the full corridor over the next 8 years,” he said.
“Eight years is achievable but it requires local authorities becoming as insistent and decisive on getting the job done
as the business community and Transit.”
With the region losing $830 million of economic benefits every year the western corridor remains unfinished, there is an
overwhelmingly strong case for taking “a whole route approach” and actioning the project around an 8 year work
programme.
“Councils meeting this week to sort out the route they want for the corridor need to make clear, unambiguous decisions
backed by strong insistence to Transit to apply the maximum resources to its completion in the timeframe confirmed last
August, or earlier.”
ENDS