Early community consultations are expected on route preferences for a new “road of national significance” costing up to $2 billion between Puhoi and the north of Wellsford.

That follows the Transport Agency’s awarding last week of a contract worth to $12 million for route investigation work on a proposed 38km link, entailing a four-lane extension of the Northern Gateway toll motorway to Warkworth and a dual-carriage expressway beyond that.

The investigation, by engineering and environmental specialists Sinclair Knight Mertz, is expected to take 15 months, but agency acting regional director Tommy Parker said he would be “disappointed if we are not talking about [route] options before about the middle of the year”.

 The Transport Agency fudges the poor economics of the project by saying:

…the figures were calculated by discounting the benefits at a standard 8 per cent each year after the road opens, a rate it sees as more appropriate to short-term projects.

It says if a 4 per cent discount rate could be used to reflect the longevity of the road, the economic returns could rise to $2 for every $1 spent.

I actually feel a bit for the NZTA here, basically being forced to justify a totally uneconomic project to satisfy the whims of the Minister of Transport.

According to the explanatory note to the third bill currently being deliberated by the select committee, the Super City was intended to “create one Auckland, which has strong regional governance, integrated decision making, greater community engagement and improved value for money”.

But what has become quite obvious is that Auckland isn’t getting this at all.

He bullet points the unacceptable features of Auckland Transport:

• The Auckland Council will be unable to appoint (or dismiss) the Auckland Transport chair and deputy chair.
• Auckland Transport is not required by legislation to act in accordance with the requirements of its shareholder (the Auckland Council).
• The Auckland Transport Board is not made accountable to the Auckland Council.
• The Auckland Council may be able to make changes to Auckland Transport’s statement of intent but, unlike the Crown Entities Act, this bill has no specific provision requiring Auckland Transport to act in accordance with this statement of intent.
• Auckland Transport is not required to give effect to the Regional Land Transport Strategy, or any other Auckland Council policy that relates to the transport agency.
• Auckland Transport could set up companies, sell assets and enter into major financial commitments without the approval of Auckland Council, even where the transactions may leave the council with significant liabilities or commitments.
• Auckland Transport won’t be required to have regard for the wider land use and development objectives of the Auckland Council.

As we pointed out in our own submission, you can also add the following to the list, because Auckland Transport does not have to comply with cetain provisions of the Local Government Act:

• Auckland Transport will not have to comply with its statement of intent
• In any case, Auckland Transport’s statement of intent requirements are fairly undefined
• Because it is exempt from Sec 75 of the Local Government Act, Auckland Transport will not have to comply with the Official Information Act.

We need your help!

The CBT petition calling on the Govt. and its agencies to immediately fund Waikato commuter trains to Auckland will be presented to MP’s at the end of this month. We have over 6,000 signatures now ( 3,000 collected in just the past 2 weekends). There is huge support for these trains in the Waikato community, we just need to collect more signatures. It would be great if we can get 10,000!

Dowload the petition here.

If you can give just half a day for signature collection, we’ve got the locations for you! Details of how you can help below the fold.

Sat 13th

• Hamilton Frankton markets ( morning)
• Hamilton Transport Centre & Hamilton CBD (morning)
• Ngaruawahia markets (morning)

Sun 14th

• Hamilton Farmers markets (morning)
• Street Parade central city 2pm

THE BIG CBT WAIKATO ACTION WEEKEND 20 / 21 March

Sat 20th

• Huge regatta Ngaruawahia (9am to 2pm)
• The Base shopping centre (9am – 4pm)
• Frankton Market (8am – noon)
• Tamahere Market (8am – noon)

Sun 21st

• Hamilton Farmers Market (8am – noon)
• Cultural Festival Hamilton Gardens (10am to 3pm)

Please email with dates and times you are free to collect signatures. Cars will be leaving Auckland to meet CBT Waikato members in the mornings, returning in the afternoons.

Update: Article on the new station in today’s Western Leader – LJH

However, doing so would be extraordinarily costly and technically challenging. Just the first section alone, between Puhoi and Warkworth, will not be completed for at least nine years, even if it were tolled.

We need to objectively consider the best use of an apparent budget of $2.3bn, rather than adopt an all-or-nothing approach.

For instance, the worst of the accident black spots could be upgraded to a higher standard far sooner than nine years from now. A Warkworth bypass could be built, perhaps to an expressway standard. The rail line to Northland could be repaired so that it is once again capable of carrying freight in a timely manner, reducing the number of large trucks on SH1.

It would be prudent to at least consider these alternatives, especially considering the likelihood of higher petrol prices in the next few years.

Householders face being transported to and from their homes in a shuttle vehicle as contractors widen North Shore’s busy Onewa Rd during a nine-month project starting today.

Why not catch a bus?

Palmerston Nroth MP Iain Lees-Galloway says the Capital Connection railway link has received a stay of execution.

However, KiwiRail is denying any firm commitments have been made about the service’s future.

 Submission on the Stratford to Okahukura Line.

A port operator has yet to be tapped on the shoulder, but TGH has had discussions with Transit New Zealand and KiwiRail, says chief executive Mike Pohio.

This is good news for Hamilton, and motorists in the Auckland / Waikato / Bay of Plenty regions. Inland ports, served by container trains, take numerous truck movements off the roads, decreasing the environmental impact of transport and extending the life of the road.