Motorway critics fail to get support for longer tunnels

Transport Minister Steven Joyce. Photo / Alan Gibson

Communities in the way of the $1.4 billion Waterview motorway project have failed in a last-ditch plea to get the Auckland City Council to demand more tunnelling.

The council's transport and arts, culture and recreation committees decided yesterday to instead negotiate a mitigation package with the Transport Agency for a scheme which would include a surface motorway over 2km of the route, west from New Windsor, and twin tunnels for the remaining 2.5km to Waterview.

That will include efforts to find replacement open space for the 2.5ha of green belt to be lost, including a large tract of Alan Wood Park in Owairaka, and proposals for four pedestrian and cycling bridges over Oakley Creek.

But the councillors accepted staff advice that a 350m footbridge over the Northwestern Motorway, linking to Pt Chevalier, would be "prohibitively expensive" at about $30 million.

The council committees heard from 10 community members at a meeting.

Michael Tritt of Owairaka said he considered himself "lucky" that his home was one of more than 200 in line for sale to the Transport Agency for demolition for the motorway.

"I feel sorry for the people who will be left behind," Mr Tritt said.

The Transport Agency intends applying next month for approval through a fast-track planning process, and will start building the motorway late next year.

Mr Tritt accused Transport Minister Steven Joyce of cynicism in supporting a scheme in which the surface motorway would disappear into two three-lane tunnels in Alan Wood Park at about the point "where the state housing in Owairaka ends".

"He's taken a very cynical approach, saying these people don't have much money, many are from migrant communities, they aren't going to make a fuss."

Kim Ace, an Avondale resident with strong connections to Owairaka, recalled how Prime Minister John Key bemoaned when in Opposition a lack of opportunities for an "underclass" living in the area, and borrowed a local girl for a "pretty photo opportunity at Waitangi".

"You then march into her community and rip out a vast array of our local parks and green spaces."

Ms Ace was referring to Mr Key's visit to Waitangi in 2008 with Aroha Ireland of Owairaka, then aged 12.

The meeting was split six votes each way on the call for full tunnels and lost on the casting vote of transport committee chairman Ken Baguley.