Mt Roskill cycleway to get more money

Auckland City transport politicians yesterday promised to seek more money from their council if staff could not find enough savings for a cycleway across the northern slope of Mt Roskill.

Although the council in November approved a tender of up to $1.681 million to build the cycleway with a comprehensive landscaping plan designed to satisfy concerns about its effect on the volcanic cone, it later allocated $1.2 million.

A staff report to the council's transport committee yesterday said the cost of the project had risen to $1.89 million, including a Transport Agency subsidy of $289,000.

That has held up what is the final link of a combined pedestrian and cycle path the full length of the 4.5km Mt Roskill motorway extension to be opened next week.

But committee chairman Ken Baguley said he remained confident the mountain section would be completed, even if it had to be built in two stages.

He still hoped the project could be bought back within budget but, if not, "we will have to come back and apply for more budget".

A review of the project will be reported to the committee next month.