Announcing the budget proposal this morning at Auckland Transport headquarters, Brown said it was a tough budget. Video / Michael Craig
Auckland Transport is ploughing on to remove the last remaining car parks for shoppers on Karangahape Rd, despite a telling-off from Mayor Wayne Brown.
Last night, AT senior media specialist Natalie Polley, indicated the council-controlled organisation was willing to make some changes but not budge on removing the remaining car parks that struggling shopkeepers insist are needed to stay afloat in tough economic times.
Brown said the matter had been “badly handled” and called on AT to consider reversing the changes along the lines of what the Karangahape Road Business Association (KBA) is asking for, which includes keeping some parking.
The matter comes as the mayor, who lives in an apartment off K Rd, has been pressing AT for a complete change in approach, saying it had been focused on changing how Aucklanders live when it should focus on how they want to live.
Signs showing AT's plans to remove general parking and restrict loading zones on Karangahape Rd. Photo / Dean Purcell
AT chief executive Dean Kimpton could not be reached for comment, and it’s unclear if he will do as the mayor asks or side with senior bureaucrats, whom businesses accuse of working to a pre-determined agenda.
Either way, the issue is a tricky problem for Kimpton, who is on a mission to build public confidence in the public body, whose reputation is already tainted by years of poor behaviour during consultation.
Polley produced an undated section of a consultation brochure in small print proposing the removal of on-street parking and relocation of loading zones from increased numbers of buses in late 2023.
The media specialist did not respond to questions about when the brochure went out, to whom, and whether it was agreed to and, if so, by whom.
Polley said AT continues to work closely with the KBA and while “we can’t make all changes requested, the one point we can respond to from the KBA is around exactly where loading and servicing can occur along K Rd from November 12″ when the changes come into effect.
Many small businesses were shocked last week to find AT had put up signs on K Rd to remove the last remaining car parks and loading zones during business hours from this weekend without warning.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has called for a rethink by Auckland Transport. Photo / Michael Craig
KBA general manager Jeremy Holloway described the action like a “bolt of lightning” and business owners accused AT of slipping the changes through under the guise of street upgrades for the City Rail Link, not due to open until 2026.
AT’s public transport boss Stacey van der Putten apologised to businesses last Friday for the poor communication but indicated the changes would go ahead, albeit with a grace period until December 11 for vehicles caught using bus lanes at the wrong time.
In a media release on Monday, AT said from November 12 there will be no general parking at any time and restricted loading hours when a new Western Express service from Westgate to the city, via the Northwestern motorway and Karangahape Rd begins.
“AT has seen the positive impact that more bus customers in an area can have on businesses…there will be more people walking the streets, spending money and enjoying the ambience of cafe culture on K Rd,” said AT’s city centre director Graeme Gunthorp.
Jason Robinson, who runs Army and Outdoors on K Rd, said Gunthorp sounded like he knew business “better than us”.
Robinson said a lot of businesses on K Rd are doing it really tough and if they are going to ride out the next 12 months or more with no parking some businesses will not survive.
He and other business owners are scathing of the “one-sided” consultation process for ‘Project K’ - a street improvement series of projects for the City Rail Link, which includes a new station on K Rd.
“It’s almost like the outcome has been pre-determined and they are just finding evidence to support what they want to do. The businesses don’t feel listened to,” said Robinson.
Muy Chhour, the landlord for the old Rendells Department Store building on K Rd, said AT’s consultation process was “quite deceiving” by acting outside the umbrella of Project K.
She said during consultation on Project K, AT said nothing about the parking changes this month, nor had businesses received the results of the consultation process which showed a lack of respect.
A GP at the Newton Medical Centre on K Rd, Dr Andrew Wong, said a lot of shops have already noticed a drop-off in businesses since AT put up signs for the changes 10 days ago, saying if the bus expressway goes ahead it will be the end of K Rd.
Waitemata councillor Mike Lee says the changes have the hallmarks of political behaviour by Auckland Transport staff. Photo / Michael Craig
He could not understand why AT is unwilling to reach a compromise along the lines of what is being proposed by the KBA - the north side reverting to loading and parking at off-peak hours and no change to the south side lane hours and weekend hours.
Waitemata councillor Mike Lee has complained to acting AT chairman Mark Darrow about the behaviour of staff, saying it had all the hallmarks of ideologically-minded officers taking pre-emptive action to forestall any new direction from the incoming government.
“This is one of the reasons we have a new government,” Lee said.
