KEY POINTS:
Transit NZ acknowledges cyclists can "technically" ride on Auckland's newest motorway - because it has yet to be gazetted.
That's not likely until next year, even though Prime Minister Helen Clark declared the 5.5km motorway past Greenhithe open last Thursday.
Transit's regional capital works manager, Sumi Eratne, said it might take up to six months to gain motorway status for a causeway and duplicate bridge opened across the Upper Waitemata Harbour.
Cyclists are annoyed the $147 million motorway and bridge were opened before safe off-road alternatives were completed.
Although Transit has fenced off a 3.6m-wide concrete cycling and pedestrian link for 550m on the outside of the duplicate bridge, Cycle Action Auckland says a chipped-seal path is inferior to what has been provided for motorists.
That is despite an assurance last year by Transit chief executive Rick van Barneveld that "minor depressions and irregularities" would be fixed before it opened.
Neither is the path readily accessible, as a concrete barrier hampered cyclists trying to reach it yesterday, and there were no signs that it was an alternative to the harbour crossing used by 24,500 vehicles a day.
"To be honest, the way the surface is at the moment, I'd rather use the motorway," North Shore cyclist Jason Waterhouse said.
Cycle Action deputy chairman Graeme Knowles said there was no way many cyclists would know they were not supposed to stay on the road which they were previously entitled to use as the only direct link between Waitakere and North Shore.
Although Transit is laying a temporary 2m-wide pathway for cyclists and pedestrians between the causeway and Hobsonville, that will not be completed until late next week.
Mr Knowles said that for all the official talk of promoting sustainable transport, declaring a motorway open while such work was continuing showed cyclists and pedestrians were an "after-thought".
The Herald inspected the site after noticing a cyclist riding along the would-be motorway towards Albany at the weekend.
But Mr Eratne acknowledged the cyclist's actions were not illegal given that the new road had yet to be gazetted as a motorway.
That was not expected for several weeks, although signs would be erected to discourage cyclists and pedestrians from using it.
He also indicated it was likely to be six months before the duplicate bridge and causeway were gazetted.
Although it is an offence punishable by a $250 fine to use a motorway contrary to requirements of the Transit New Zealand Act, he confirmed the cyclist would not "technically" have been foul of the law.
The cycling and pedestrian pathway should be used as a safe alternative, as should Upper Harbour Drive as an alternative non-motorway route.
He denied ignoring their needs, saying they had been in discussions for the past year. Transit had hoped to start building the extension through Hobsonville by now, but delays prompted it to add the 1km path to lead cyclists and pedestrians to a safe road crossing well back from the harbour crossing.
