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Opinion by Viv Beck
OPINION
As the AT board signs off yet another project – $26 million for stage one of “Wellesley Street bus improvements” - I find myself on Venus while they stand firmly on Mars.
While the floodgate of concern on Venus never stops, AT marches on - href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/public-transport-review-how-auckland-can-get-more-for-its-money-from-on-demand-services/ONCDADCCTNFQFC4CXU6NKMAY34/" target="_blank">oblivious to the impact of their “improvements” on tradies, couriers, emergency services and cab drivers. People with mobility disabilities. Parents with kids to ferry around. And businesses, struggling with 25 per cent fewer people coming here.
The rationale usually goes something like this. We need to change. People will get used to it. All this won’t matter in 10 years because it will be so easy to get around by public transport.
Yes, we do need to change and I am very familiar with apartment living in cities where you cycle day and night, you can walk to most places or catch reliable public transport. But we need to be realistic about what is practical and achievable in our city – and when.
Where are the checks and balances on the promise to offer “access for everyone” in a thoughtful and considered way? It has unapologetically morphed into “access for everyone” - except for people in cars. Not everyone coming into the city in the foreseeable future can do so without driving a car. Even electric vehicles and ridesharing seem to be in the firing line.
Case in point – AT has led a move from on-street to off-street parking, which is reliant on the availability of affordable public parking in key locations. Yet here we are, on the verge of a decision for Auckland Council to sell its Downtown parking building. What about Aucklanders (even those driving EVs) who rely on affordable parking in this area to come to the city, and those who will shop and dine in other places if it’s more convenient?
After years of disruption, we need to attract people back to the city centre - not encourage them to go elsewhere if their mode of transport doesn’t fit the ideal. It will be very concerning if the sale of this carpark goes ahead without an acceptable alternative that retains sufficient affordable, accessible and safe parking in downtown for the benefit of all Aucklanders who rely on it. This is especially important given all the other changes being made to a place that should be accessible for everyone.
The Downtown carpark building. Photo / Dean Purcell
Take the current works in Victoria St. Earlier this year, Auckland Council approved this project, which aims to deliver the following benefits: increased pedestrian and cycle linkages (with a target to increase 4 per cent in cycle mode share for trips to work); activated quality spaces for commercial and recreational activities; improved sense of belonging and connection to place; and a healthier and more sustainable city centre.
But what’s a city for people if only some people can get here conveniently?
It’s no wonder we’ve had to battle to get provision for loading and servicing. Places for rideshare and taxis to drop off and pick up. To get AT to acknowledge that having space available for buses 24/7 misses the opportunity to use the space for alternative purposes at different times of the day and night. What is wrong with rideshare and taxis having easy and safe access to the arts precinct, to restaurants and bars at night? Even when the City Rail Link opens, services are only scheduled until 11.30pm so these alternatives will still be needed.
And where was the review of usage before the decision was made to add a two-way cycleway that will go nowhere when it finishes at Federal St? Ironically, when AT announced a $3.7m “temporary” connection by Victoria Park some years ago, we asked why not wait and do one connected cycleway that people use? They said it was necessary to go ahead then to complete the link with Ponsonby, but the data shows very low usage. Meanwhile, AT doesn’t seem to measure the emissions or productivity impact of vehicles that must stop at a traffic light part way along Victoria Park - regardless of whether anyone is waiting at the crossing.
AT and council must take stock now. Well-connected, multimodal transport is vital, but our city needs to meet the needs of a variety of users – not just those fortunate enough to be able to get around by public transport, bike and walking – now or in 10 years time.
Viv Beck is chief executive of Heart of the City, a business association for Auckland’s city centre
