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Resolution number HM/2015/23
MOVED
by Deputy Chairperson SP Henderson, seconded by Member BA Brady:
a)
Agrees to provide feedback to Auckland
Transport on the draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2015-2025 by:
i)
speaking at the Auckland Transport Stakeholder
event
b)
Provides the following feedback on the draft
Regional Land Transport Plan 2015-2025.
I. The RLTP and our
Local Board Plan
a. The Henderson-Massey Local Board
recently completed its second three year plan. It identified the outcomes the
community wanted and the key projects it would like progressed to enable
residents to be successful and our area to play its role in Auckland becoming
the world’s most liveable city.
b. In our consultation for the plan
the most important concerns that came from our residents were that frequent
and reliable public transport is a must, walking and cycling needs to be
promoted and good transport links across the city are needed.
c. We have summarised that desire into
“Real choices between walking, cycling, public transport and cars”.
Our priorities are increasing investment in walking and cycling
infrastructure, improving public transport and reducing reliance on roads and
cars.
d. This contribution to the RLTP is
seeking to deliver on our plan and its vision.
II. Our vision for
Henderson-Massey
a. We want Henderson-Massey to be a
place of growth and opportunity. Our growth areas are going to be a model for
new and renewed area developments for the whole of Auckland. Westgate will be
home to new large businesses that have relocated there because of its
affordability, growth area location and proximity to the motorway network.
Henderson will be a thriving metropolitan centre with a transport hub that
increases business opportunities and encourages people to live there.
III. Transport in
Henderson-Massey
a. About 70% of the working population
of Henderson-Massey commutes by car because transport alternatives are not
convenient or cost-effective enough.
b. Henderson-Massey is lucky in that a
lot of core transport infrastructure is in place, including the double-track
electric rail line with four stations, the north western motorway and major
roads. The area already has 30km of off-road shared walking and cycling paths
developed over the past 10 years. However, there are still capacity problems
along with untapped opportunities for improvement.
c. The Henderson-Massey Local Board
believes that good quality transport is key to Auckland becoming a more
liveable and sustainable city. The board supports the Auckland Plan target of
‘doubling public transport from 70 million trips in 2012 to 140 million trips
by 2022’.
IV. Specific Feedback
The Henderson-Massey Local Board would
like to provide the following specific feedback on the draft Regional Land
Transport Plan.
a. Henderson is a metropolitan centre
as per the Unitary Plan.
·
Henderson needs
to be understood as a growth node by Auckland Transport and NZTA.
·
On the map on
page 74 of the draft plan titled ‘Town Centre with Major Road Network’, Henderson
is identified as a Town Centre. The board requests that this be amended to
reflect that Henderson is a metropolitan centre and request that all relevant
information and maps reflect this fact in the future.
·
The board is
further concerned that an understanding of Henderson’s status as a
metropolitan centre is not robust throughout transport planning and request
that this be addressed.
b. Prioritisation methodology
·
Greater
emphasis should be placed on prioritisation of projects that enable growth in
a way that supports communities and a high quality urban form development of
growth areas (benefit 4 p.119)
c. City Rail Link
·
Henderson-Massey
Local Board supports the City Rail Link and formally stated in its feedback on
the mayoral proposal (Resolution number HM/2014/188)
·
That the
Henderson-Massey Local Board:
·
vi. Supports
the City Rail Link and considers it essential that a funding mechanism is
agreed with central government.
d. Link cycling and walking
development priorities to Special Housing Areas.
· Henderson-Massey is facing
significant growth and our Board is committed to promoting a different way of
living where more people in Henderson-Massey don’t need to have a personal
car for daily local transport. This needs Auckland Transport to prioritise
those areas facing significant growth and the real opportunity to change
travel behaviour.
e. Demonstrate the one system approach
more strongly
· The current plan promotes the
concept of one network but does not clearly demonstrate this in action at a
local level. For example the plan could more clearly demonstrate in the key
priority growth areas the links between transport hubs and stops to walking
and cycling links.
f. Prioritise projects supporting the
north western busway
·
CAPEX projects that enable the
north western busway e.g. Te Atatu bus interchange and Te Atatu and Lincoln
Rd corridor improvements need urgent prioritisation so that the north western
busway can be built as soon as possible. This would also support the
developing town centre at Westgate and the SHAs in that area which will have
a significant population needing PT options. Related park and ride projects
must be prioritised in conjunction with the busway.
·
Deferral of Te Atatu and Lincoln
Road corridor improvement in the basic transport programme is not acceptable
or feasible as it will be detrimental to an already severe congestion problem.
g. Maintenance deferral
·
The board is
concerned about using deferral of maintenance (sweating assets) as a cost
saver. If roads and footpaths are not repaired when needed, it will cost more
to fix them later.
h. Support alternative providers of
Park and Ride facilities
·
Auckland
Transport does not have to be the only provider of secure affordable park and
ride services in the urban and suburban area. For example in Avondale, Kiwi
Rail has substantial land holdings next to the rail line that it is looking
to lease. We submit that the community or private sector could provide Park
and Ride services releasing AT’s capital investment for things only it can
do. Auckland Transport should provide staff resources to promote these local
opportunities to be delivered by other providers.
i. Integrated fares
·
The
Henderson-Massey Local Board supports the move to integrated fares but needs
more information to support the high prioritisation of this project.
j. Te Atatu ferry
·
The board would
like to see this project remain in the plan for future investigation.
k. Extending Passenger Rail to
Kumeu/Huapai
·
Henderson-Massey
Local Board supports Rodney Local Board’s views on the need for public
transport to extend into Rodney and also notes that utilisation of the
existing train station in Huapai does not feature in the RLTP. Development at
Westgate and along State Highway 16 towards Kumeu needs corresponding public
transport development and passenger rail on the existing rail line is an
obvious place to start. The board supports extending passenger rail through
to Huapai/Kumeu initially and extending to Helensville in the long term.
l. Funding
·
The Henderson-Massey Local Board
supports the Auckland Plan transport programme.
·
The board supports funding
through a fuel tax in principle; it appears more equitable across the city
and reflects the demand for new transport infrastructure which we all use. It
is also most appropriate as fuel prices are currently low and vehicle demand
is high.
·
The board does not support road
user charges. In west Auckland the public transport system is not
sufficiently advanced such that people have a realistic option to use it
instead of driving to get to work. Neither does the board support a toll on
motorways - in its view it is inappropriate to toll existing infrastructure.
·
PPP should be investigated as an
alternative funding mechanism for the CRL. Across cities in America,
Australia and Asia, this is a model that is finding success.
CARRIED
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