Subscribe to RSSMt Albert Revamp Months Not Years?
Is a major upgrade of the Mt Albert railway station closer than we thought?
The Mt Albert precinct plan, adopted by a Auckland City committee a few weeks ago and destined for consideration by the supercouncil, talked of a major upgrade being decades away.
But Labour’s Mt Albert MP David Shearer says in a statement today:
“Auckland Regional Transport Agency ARTA is planning a major to upgrade the railway station in the coming months with the intention of connecting it by bridge into the heart of the business district. And Ontrack has begun cleaning up the rail corridors which have been an eyesore from litter and rubbish.”
It’s not entirely comprehensible -although this was his second go at it after he got a name wrong first time around. But it clearly suggests the planned airbridge over the station from Mt Albert Rd is on its way.
My reading of the Mt Albert plan had suggested it was a long way off.
That plan talked of, short-term, the plan being to:
- Work with the relevant stakeholders to improve pedestrian links to and from the rail station in conjunction with an interim upgrade of the station. The interim upgrade will include the improvements required for electrification as well as new shelters, improved lighting, and an overall upgrade similar in design and form to the Ellerslie station upgrade. Ensure that any improvements made in the short term will tie in with the long term aspirations for a more integrated development including a bus-rail interchange in this location
- Work with relevant stakeholders to determine a plan for an upgraded Mt Albert transport interchange incorporating rail and bus through the creation of a transit interchange square, supported by integration with adjacent land uses and site redevelopment opportunities
- Protect the future operation of the rail by requiring new development for noise sensitive activities, such has residential uses, locating adjacent to the rail corridor to be designed in a manner which mitigates the impact of noise and vibration from rail operations and maintenance
- Undertake a pedestrian study of the centre and surrounding people generating activities (eg the rail station, Unitec, schools and public parking areas) to determine measures which will improve accessibility and pedestrian safety
Mt Albert getting its platforms extended
By 2030 there is talk of a “safe and direct pedestrian access between the rail station and New North Road,Carrington Road, and Willcott Street.”
Let’s hope the local MP whose office is right opposite the train station has the hot information.
4 Comments
Concept plans were fairly well advanced a few years ago when it was originally planned to be built, who knows perhaps they’ve been convnced of the need to upgrade it sooner rather than later. Waiting until 2030 is completely unacceptable to be honest.
Jon - we moved those items into short and medium - under 5 yrs and 5-10.
Those plans were the whole area view, and will need District plan changes eg building over rail corridor etc. years ago there were plan changes made that allowed the newmarket development.
ARTA in the meantime will be doing a station upgrade. This has been on the cards for a while, but we haven’t found the exact extent eg bridges etc.
But that upgrade is really an interim step to the complete redevelopment of the area, which would need to fully integrate a station into commercial/residential buildings. And that’s why the plan had it in the 5-10 years for the crucial sites by the station.
@Mark Thanks Mark. That is great news. I went to to the precinct display day and had my little say urging for faster action so that’s awesome.
I guess a pedestrian bridge could indeed be planned and built “in the coming months” - I am just surprised, and “suspicious” (i.e. doubtful) about where they found the money for that if it wasn’t even in the cards before.