Call For North Shore Rail Network By 2020

in General by Jon C — December 3, 2009 at 5:20 pm | 0 comments

North Shore’s mayor wants to take advantage of any decision over the next harbour crossing to push rail through the North Shore.

Andrew Williams is calling for there to be rail lines right up the “rail contoured” busway to Orewa in the north and south through the future CBD underground rail loop. “We need to connect the SH1 road tunnel under Victoria Park to connect with Spaghetti Junction.”

The mayor says it’s time to stop the navel gazing, soul searching and hand wringing and get on with designing and building the road and rail tunnels to come to the rescue of the crumbling Auckland Harbour Bridge, which will need major reconstruction of its “clip-ons” in about 20 years.

“We are told that it could still take up to 10 years to make a decision on the new harbour crossing, and then another 10 years to build it. I understand the 50 kilometre channel tunnel between England and France took seven years to build, yet despite advances in tunnel construction since, our 4 kilometre tunnel will take three years longer to build. As with several other local officials, the mayor doesn’t agree with transport minister Steven Joyce looking as if he is opting for a bridge over a tunnel – although he hasn’t made that decision yet.

Mayor Williams believes a road and rail tunnel is by far the best option, “There is no reason on earth why we cannot set ourselves a definite target of having the road and rail tunnel and North Shore rail network completed by 2020.

“If this is a pipe dream, then Aucklanders can hold out little hope for the super city realising its promise of having a world class transport system. Our motorways and arterials will be a massive stalled car park by then if swift action is not taken.”