The Government’s intention to fast-track the consent process for the East-West Connection roading project has been welcomed across the industry.
Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley says the announcement of the fast-forwarding of consent for the link between SH1 and SH20, announced alongside a raft of other transport spending announcements, is a great thing for the freight business.
The Onehunga-Penrose corridor is a critical industrial and manufacturing hub of national significance that has suffered from chronic traffic congestion for many years, impeding the vital movement of freight.
“We have long advocated for the East-West Connection as a critical piece of infrastructure to free up freight movement around Auckland,” says Shirley. “It is a top priority for the industry and it is good to see the Government recognises that.”
“The Government’s intention to get through the consent process as quickly as possible and begin construction in 2018 provides a new level of optimism for freight operators and their customers.”
“It is also pleasing that early work on widening State Highway 20 between Neilson St and Queenstown Rd has been announced to begin later this year.”
“While the Road Transport Forum and our members are happy with today’s announcement, we will be keeping a close eye on progress,” Shirley says. “Auckland freight operators and the businesses they service cannot afford any delays.”
David Aitken, National Road Carriers chief executive also welcomed the announcement.
“This project has been on Auckland’s books since the 1960s. Making it a project of national significance with a consent hearing this year will give the freight sector confidence that this critical missing piece of infrastructure will finally get built,” Aitken says.
“With heavy congestion on local roads most working days and expectations that freight and truck activity will double over the next 20 years, some smart and innovative design is required if the goal of a single, integrated freight corridor that has seamless connections to the existing network (SH1 & SH20) is to be achieved.”
They too welcomed the SH 20 widening.
Aitken says the announcement will give the freight sector and other businesses in the industrial suburbs along the northern edge of the Mangere Inlet confidence that there is progress in sight to halt the spread of congestion through the working day.
“This area is home to logistics businesses that employ around 64,000 people (second only to central Auckland) and make a critical contribution to the Auckland and national economy.”
“It is gratifying that Government has recognized the importance of this work by elevating the East West Connection project to ‘national significance’ status,” he says. “Freight moves the Auckland and New Zealand economy. The road network linking the freight distribution companies located around Southdown and Onehunga with the rest of Auckland is critical to the efficient functioning of Auckland’s day-to-day economy, as are the daily freight trips that are generated from this area that service the provincial centres of Auckland’s neighbour regions.”
