Leaky carpark roof could open way to rail station

The Civic Carpark leaky roof crisis could be the ideal time to build a railway station in the Aotea precinct, says Auckland City mayor Dick Hubbard.

Mr Hubbard says it may be cost-effective to use the $73 million leaky roof crisis to make a start on the $1.6 billion rail plan to electrify most of the rail network by 2011 and build a 3.5km rail tunnel from Britomart under the central business district to Mt Eden. The underground link would have stations at Karangahape Rd and Wellesley St, just off the Aotea precinct.

"In three, five or 10 years time if you built a standalone underground station it might not be in such a convenient position and it might cost millions of dollars more."

Mr Hubbard is due to announce a "think tank" today to look at opportunities from the "unexpectedly bad news" arising from the cost of replacing the cracked and leaky roof of the three-level, 930-space carpark.

Westpac chief executive Ann Sherry, Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall, Beca chairman Gavin Cormack and businessman Bryan Mogridge have been appointed to the think tank.

The think tank will oversee the exercise, dubbed Outside the Square, to look beyond current proposals to upgrade Aotea Square for an arts precinct behind the town hall, taking the front off the Aotea Centre for cafes and bistros and an international-size convention centre at The Edge.

Mr Hubbard suggested a railway station under the carpark before the Auckland Regional Transport Authority outlined the latest plans to increase rail patronage and make a dent in road congestion. The plan builds on the 2003 "Boston report" for electrification and increased rail services at a cost of $1.51 billion.

Plans for underground rail in central Auckland stretch back 80 years, including a big push in the 1970s by Auckland mayor Sir Dove-Myer Robinson for rapid rail at an estimated cost of $140 million, which won backing from the Labour government but was ditched by the National government of Sir Robert Muldoon in 1976.

In 1969, the new Auckland Savings Bank building on the corner of Wellesley St and Queen St was future-proofed for underground rail.

Mr Hubbard said that in his position as Mayor of Auckland City he would be a champion for the rail plan, which he believed was a "must" to address the city's spread and attract people out of their cars. He did not claim to have the powers to make the project happen but said he would talk up the issue with the transport agency, Auckland Regional Council and the Government and keep it in the public domain.

Green Party Auckland transport spokesman Keith Locke said it was a bold and expensive plan to combat gridlock that could be funded by spending less on motorways and much of the $400 million new transport funding announced by the Government.

"Right now, spending on rail rather than motorways will do the most to unclog our roads," Mr Locke said.

Mr Hubbard said it was essential to bite the bullet on electrification because what often happened in New Zealand was that temporary solutions became permanent solutions.

"I am concerned that there was some thought that they may get rolling stock that is diesel units that can be converted to electric at a later stage."

80-year wait

1923: Railways minister Gordon Coates supports city-to-Morningside underground rail link.
1937: Underground rail link briefly raised as a way to relieve unemployment.
1949: Government promises electrification.
1951: City bureaucrats begin pushing a "roads first" policy.
1950s: Politicians join bureaucrats in favour of motorways.
1969: New ASB tower in Queen St future-proofed for underground rail.
1970s: Auckland mayor Sir Dove-Myer Robinson pushes rapid rail, including a tunnel under Queen St.
1972-1975: Labour government looks at rapid rail.
1976: National government abandons rapid rail.
1998-2001: Auckland mayor Christine Fletcher proposes light rail up Queen St.
2001-2004: Council investigates $500m underground rail loop from Britomart to Kingsland.
2005: ARTA plans 3.5km tunnel from Britomart to Mt Eden.