Terminals miss out on funding

Extra Government investment in roads is being blamed for the disappearance of funding for two new Auckland ferry terminals.

The deferral of terminals for Bayswater and Beach Haven until the Government's next three-year funding cycle - for 2012-15 - has been confirmed by the Auckland Regional Transport Authority.

That has prompted a claim by North Shore City's representative on the Auckland Regional Transport Committee, Chris Darby, that ferry transport is being affected by the Government's extra allocation of money to new roads.

The authority's confirmation of the terminal deferrals came after Mr Darby complained of inaccurate information in an authority report to the transport committee.

The report said funding for a long-awaited $6.6 million ferry terminal for Bayswater had been approved and construction of a $2.8 million facility for Beach Haven had started.

But Mr Darby told the committee at its monthly meeting that "nothing could be further from the truth" about Bayswater.

"The truth about Bayswater is, it's gone - there is no funding," he said. "It should have been funded, but it hasn't been."

Neither had construction started at Beach Haven, as stated in the report, which he described as outdated "cut and paste material".

No transport authority representatives were at the meeting when Mr Darby made his comments, but planning chief Peter Clark arrived later and promised that the committee would receive an early update of the ferry report, prepared by acting project delivery general manager Allen Bufton.

The updated report said: "Reduced funding has resulted in lower-cost wharf options being considered for Bayswater and Beach Haven and implementation will be delayed."

It said both would be delayed until the next three-yearly Government funding cycle, although lower cost options including more convenient car-parks for Bayswater commuters, were being looked at.