National leader Christopher Luxon reacts to Labour's plan for tunnels under the Waitemata Harbour.
There will be no spending on any infrastructure to allow cycling across the Auckland harbour under the coalition Government, and no light rail line, either.
Transport and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown outlined the plans for a second harbour crossing today in a speech to the Committee for Auckland, an organisation of business and civic leaders.
Instead, the focus, he said, is now on “providing extra lanes for traffic” and “enhancing the existing busway”.
Previous statements by Brown have pointed in this direction, but this is the first time he has made the position clear. The minister did not say if he preferred tunnel or bridge options.
He said expanding the harbour-crossing capacity would be “the most significant land transport project in New Zealand history”. For that reason, the Government was not rushing into decisions, he explained.
Brown also confirmed the proposed busway along the route of the Northwestern Motorway will be “a dedicated highway” and a “world-class bus corridor”, which suggests it will be separated from other traffic for its entire route.
This differs from the existing bus lanes on that route, which merge into other traffic lanes at some points. Even the Northern Busway doesn’t meet this criterion, as it merges with other traffic to cross the harbour bridge.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced this week the Auckland regional fuel tax is to be scrapped. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
As Minister for Auckland, Brown told the meeting he had three key areas to address: the cost of living, crime and transport.
“This is about reducing the cost of living,” Brown said.
He said the Government also wants the remaining money collected by that tax to be spent on “priorities” and not “speed bumps, cycle lanes and bus lanes”.
He said “tackling the long-term causes of crime is a big task”, but while that would be happening, the Government was focused on a “crackdown on gangs” and a “crackdown on serious youth offending”.
In transport, the Government’s priorities are “unlocking economic potential and enhancing quality of life”. This meant “reducing travel times and increasing the reliability of the roading network”.
“Fixing potholes and other maintenance are important, but going beyond those basics, the Government wants to build transport infrastructure that supports and enhances our way of life rather than detracts from it.”
During questions, Toni Nealie, from the Auckland Kindergarten Association, asked what he meant by that.
“Many parents struggle with safe access to kindergarten for their children,” she said. “You’ve talked about things that increase the amount of traffic and the speed of traffic, like getting rid of speed bumps. But how does that increase the way of life for those parents and their children? Doesn’t it do the reverse?”
He told her he had campaigned against a pedestrian crossing with a raised speed table on Pakuranga Rd in his electorate. “I did that because it constantly slowed things down and made the network less efficient.”
Former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announcing Labour's plans for another Auckland harbour crossing in August last year. Photo / Alex Burton
The minister said he was currently writing a new Government Policy Statement that would make the transport programme clear. “Roads of National Significance” will be back, including Mill Rd in the far south of the city and the East-West Link through Penrose and Ōnehunga.
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has previously criticised this approach, saying Auckland should be leading the planning process and these may not be roads the city needs.
In the meeting, Sir Peter Gluckman, from the research agency Koi Tū, said he hoped Auckland would see much better planning coordination between central and local government.
Asked if there was a timeline for the introduction of “time-of-use charging” on the roads, also known as congestion charging, the minister said no proposal had gone to cabinet yet.
“But it is in our coalition agreement with the Act Party for this term, and we want to move quickly.”
Brown was speaking at a lunchtime event called by the Committee for Auckland at the offices of the engineering consultancy Beca.
Three days after Waitangi Day, the occasion was opened with a karakia or prayer delivered by Tom Irvine, from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, after which Rupert Hodson, from Beca delivered a mihi whakatau or welcome.
This form of welcome is common for events organised by the Committee for Auckland, Beca and many of the committee’s other corporate members. In his own speech, the minister did not respond with any words in te reo.
Simon Wilson is a senior writer covering politics, the climate crisis, transport, housing, urban design and social issues, with a focus on Auckland. He joined the Herald in 2018.
