KEY POINTS:
Freight carriers are worried they may have to keep trundling over a "creaking" Auckland Harbour Bridge for decades if another crossing is built for public transport only.
Although a new bridge or tunnel for the exclusive use of buses or potentially trains is on a short list of three broad crossing options in a $1.3 million study, the Road Transport Forum says such an idea for coping with Auckland's traffic problems "is not in the real world".
"Whether it's a tunnel or a bridge, Auckland's second harbour crossing must cater for Auckland's growing freight needs as well," forum chief executive Tony Friedlander said yesterday. "If no consideration is given to the need to move freight as well as people, Auckland's businesses and its whole economy will become increasingly uncompetitive and everyone's income will suffer."
The study team, commissioned by Transit NZ, the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, and councils on both sides of the Waitemata Harbour, believes all traffic would benefit from whichever crossing is selected by March from the short list.
Study director Richard Hancy says even a crossing reserved for public transport would take pressure off the existing harbour bridge.
But Mr Friedlander said it was totally unrealistic to believe public transport could keep up with the bridge's ever-growing traffic volumes.
He noted that it already had load restrictions on its outside clip-on lanes, and believed a new crossing was needed well ahead of Transit's suggested date of 2021 or later.
"The whole system is creaking at the seams," he said.
Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett said he could not imagine a business case to support a $3 billion tunnel catering just for public transport.
"What is needed is an integrated and sustainable solution that meets Auckland's growth challenge and enables the movement of both people and freight long-term."
Mr Barnett said his forum looked forward to more information about all three options, but on existing indications was leaning towards support for a longer 6.8km tunnel crossing between Esmonde Rd in Takapuna and Grafton Gully.
That would address the needs of the large volume of traffic wanting to avoid central Auckland, he said.
A similar preference has been indicated by the Auckland Regional Council, even though its transport committee passed a resolution yesterday to keep all three options open.
Two of these, including the public transport-only option, would traverse Wynyard Wharf where the regional council owns land through Ports of Auckland.
Mr Hancy said the study had yet to make a detailed estimate of costs, but these would increase with the length of any particular crossing.
