Auckland Transport approves cycleways again, but only partially

Auckland Transport has given the green light to one section of the inner west cycle network and a tentative nod to another segment – but has left the middle section of the network missing.

On Tuesday, Auckland Transport’s board of directors gave the go-ahead to the Point Chevalier to Westmere section of a three-pronged project that would link inner city suburbs from Point Chevalier to the city.

The board also approved progressing the Great North Rd improvements project, which runs between Crummer and Ponsonby roads, subject to a funding review.

This section will also be consulted on with councillors at Auckland Council’s transport and infrastructure committee on March 15.

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Both projects include stormwater improvements, as well as cycle, bus and pedestrian-focused works that are 51% funded by Waka Kotahi.

However, the board paused the central link of the chain, from Grey Lynn to Westmere, citing funding constraints. Unlike the other two segments, this part does not have any Waka Kotahi funding.

AT board member Abbie Reynolds said progress wouldn’t be made towards climate goals unless people moved out of cars and onto buses and bikes.

”We’ve got increasingly vulnerable road user deaths and that really worries me,” Reynolds said.

“We are not building the network of the future, we are building the network of our past.”

But AT board member and councillor Mike Lee said he was concerned about increasing cycle infrastructure when cyclist numbers had decreased.

The principals of six schools within the area of the proposed network wrote to AT acting chief executive, Mark Lambert, last week concerned that the transport agency might pause parts of the network.

“We have been consulted, taken part in focus groups and taken time from our schedules since 2016 not out of obligation and duty, but out of a deep commitment to better outcomes for our children, schools and communities,” the principals wrote.

“Many children have started and finished at our schools during the time they have been delayed, and it is only a matter of time before we see tragic outcomes for our students.”

All three projects were previously approved by the AT board and are fully funded in the current capital budget.

Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, nine Auckland councillors wrote to Lambert and AT’s acting chairperson, Wayne Donnelly, pointing out that these seemed to be the only projects paused when the rest of AT’s capital programme, including many roading projects, appeared to be progressing.

“We are concerned the inner west projects have been targeted for particular scrutiny because they include walking and cycling infrastructure, when in fact AC and AT have urgent climate and safety targets that require these types of projects to be prioritised.

“Our concerns are exacerbated by AT’s well-documented history of failing to deliver walking and cycling projects,” the councillors wrote.