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Resolution
number HB/2024/83
MOVED by Chairperson
A Poppelbaum, seconded by Deputy Chairperson G Brown:
That
the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:
a)
whakarite / provide
the following views on the Draft Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP)
2024-2034:
i)
support the
direction of the draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-2034
ii)
note the 1,185
submissions received from the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area, which was
one of the highest by local board area.
iii)
consider that where
relevant, project prioritisation better reflects government transport project
priorities, in order for the draft RLTP to be a more successful ‘bid
document’ for the National Land Transport Fund (e.g., we know that
Glenvar and East Coast Roads Improvement Project is a desired project to be
delivered, but its current activity rank and overall rank is too low to meet
those expectations of delivery).
iv)
many of the 1,185
submissions from the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area used the draft RLTP
to reconfirm and emphasise the importance of the retainment, and the
reinstatement, of regular sailings of the Gulf Harbour Ferry, which is a key
advocacy point in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2023.
Glenvar and East Coast Roads Improvement Project
v)
this ‘network
optimisation’ project is in the draft RLTP capital programme for
delivery between 2025/26-2027/28.
vi)
request that this
project, which has been drastically reduced in scale in this draft RLTP, be
referred to as stage one, with stage two in the next draft RLTP and is
prioritised higher for delivery given the significant scope change.
vii) request that this project be brought forward
one year to start 2024/25 and is prioritised higher than its activity rank of
22 within ‘Table 6: Local Road Improvements’ for the following
reasons:
A)
this project is of
priority to the government, noting that the Minister of Transport announced
in the House and in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024
that “the remaining Regional Fuel Tax revenue will be used to fund the
Eastern Busway, Local Road Improvements (e.g., Glenvar Road and Lake Road)
and Electric Trains and Stabling”.
B)
this project is
fully supported by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, Local Member of
Parliament, and the community who provided a 2,000 strong petition to
Auckland Transport in 2018.
C)
the Regional Public
Transport Plan 2023-2031 refers to East Coast and Glenvar Roads intersection
being signalised by 2027.
D)
this project meets
the following draft RLTP investment priorities:
1)
‘Complete - finish
what we have started before starting new large-scale investments’. This
is a mature project with near complete detailed design. It attracted Regional
Fuel Tax and Developer Contributions. It has featured strongly as a priority
in previous RLTP’s but has suffered continual delivery delays due to
funding constraints resulting from the impacts of COVID-19. There appears to
be other ‘local road improvement’ projects ranked higher than
Glenvar/East Coast Roads which have not yet had detailed design completed and
therefore aren’t as ‘ready’ as this project.
2)
‘Speed of
deliver – smaller scale’. The project scope has been reduced
drastically to only include the realignment of the Glenvar and East Coast
Roads intersection. The full, original, consulted on project is still
required as stage two in a the next draft RLTP, however stage one of the
intersection realignment should take place from 2024/25 with urgency.
3)
‘Expenditure
efficiency’. This project has a high Benefit-Cost Ratio.
4)
‘Improved
safety and timing/urgency’. The necessity to realign this intersection
is necessary for safety reasons and to improve congestion. The New Zealand
Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Crash Analysis System data shows the high level
and range of crashes (deaths, serious and minor) at and immediately
surrounding this intersection area.
5)
‘Network
resilience and economic productivity’. The closure of Glenvar Road
recently due to Auckland Anniversary storm slips showed how vulnerable the
transport connections out of Long Bay, Torbay and Waiake are, and with the
higher density of the Long Bay subdivision than what was originally planned
for and expected.
Vaughans and Okura River Roads Improvement
Project
viii) this is project is a category three project
listed unprioritised and without funding in ‘other projects considered
by RLTP for NLTF funding’.
ix)
request that this
project be brought into the capital programme as a category two project, with
funding within the first three years, for the following reasons:
A)
this project was
designed and consulted on in 2015 and was awaiting RLTP funding before it
disappeared from work programmes and was forgotten about.
B)
Auckland Transport,
in the mid-2010’s, had provided reassurance to Vaughans Road residents
that a throughfare to the Long Bay development would not be made until
Vaughans Road was upgraded.
C)
Templeton’s,
the Long Bay developer, has completed their consent requirements by building
a roundabout to connect Te Oneroa Way, Long Bay with Vaughans Road, Okura.
D)
in August 2023,
Auckland Transport severed the connection at the newly built roundabout
because they could not allow for through traffic given the poor state of
Vaughans Road and the significant safety issues that exist.
E)
consider that this
matter now presents a substantial reputational issue for Auckland Transport.
x)
this project meets
the following draft RLTP investment priorities:
A)
‘Complete
– finish what we have started before starting new large-scale
investments’. The upgrade of this road was a live Auckland Transport
project in 2015 to align with the requirements of the Long Bay Structure Plan
(one of the four required routes in and out of the subdivision) and related
Environment Court 2008 ruling. It cannot remain closed for any long period of
time but requires a road upgrade to open for increased traffic volume.
B)
‘Improved
safety and timing/urgency’. Vaughans and Okura River Roads are
semi-rural roads that are not up to urban road standards. They are in poor
condition, riddled with potholes, no lighting or footpaths. Vaughans Road is
not wide enough for two cars.
Whangaparāoa Bus Station
xi)
this ‘rapid
transit access’ project is in the draft RLTP capital programme for
delivery between 2024/25-2028/29.
xii) request that the overall ranking for this
project, within ‘Capital Programme: Public Transport Infrastructure
Improvements’ is higher than its activity rank of 39.
xiii) request that indicated delivery of this
project is expedited to align closer to the opening date (December 2026) of O
Mahurangi Penlink.
xiv) this project meets the following draft RLTP
investment priorities:
A)
‘Timing and
urgency’. Without a bus interchange there is nowhere for buses to turn
around in the suburb of Stanmore Bay.
B)
‘Faster, more
reliable public transport’. Without a bus station, O Mahurangi Penlink
will not fulfil its potential to reduce emissions and dependency on private
vehicle travel from one of the longest commutes in Auckland. Having the
Northern Express starting from the middle of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula
provides public transport options to one of the top five most vulnerable road
corridors in North Auckland.
C)
‘Speed of
delivery’. NZTA Waka Kotahi have committed to preparing the site free
of charge while they have equipment on site for O Mahurangi Penlink if they
can see a funding commitment for the project as a whole is made.
CARRIED
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