The long-awaited improvements to the Karanga-a-Hape Station precinct integration project (also known as Project K) are well underway. The work commenced in July 2024 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. The improvements are designed to tie in with the new Karanga-a-Hape Station. They will make the most out of the investment into the City Rail Link. An astounding number of people will be entering and exiting the station; 40,000 every day! These precinct improvements provide safe spaces for them.
That is why we are enraged and shocked by bizarre new plans. In the middle of delivering this project, key people-friendly elements of the plan have been quietly disappeared. These include the East Street cycleway. This cycleway already exists and high volumes of people cycle it to travel between Karangahape Road and Te Ara I Whiti (pink pathway) or the Northwestern.
Note – at time of posting the website project page still shows the old designs.
The good news
A portion of the cycleway on Pitt Street is already open to ride. There is a new public toilet available for use. The designs still include a protected two-way cycleway along Canada Street to connect with Te Ara I Whiti (Lightpath). This is a much more accessible option than the existing steep shared path with its sideways camber connecting to Upper Queen Street. The camber combined with the corner is an accessibility barrier as it creates a tipping hazard for trikes and wheelchair bikes.
The dreadful news
Just this week Auckland Transport briefed the Waitematā Local Board (from page 81) on an update to the design. The update includes their intention to replace the existing two-way cycleway along East Street with motor vehicle lanes and sharrows. (Sharrows are road markings alerting drivers to the presence of bikes.)
Auckland Transport have also removed previous plans to widen footpaths on Cross Street and put in decorative planter boxes. The pedestrian plaza at the top of Mercury Lane will be a shared space rather than a pedestrian mall as originally planned.
A rigorous process led to the original design
The community showed huge support for Project K during consultation in 2023, including plans to retain and formalise the East Street cycleway. The Auckland Transport Board, Auckland Council Governing Body, and the Waitematā Local Board formally signed off these designs.
Now Auckland Transport have changed the designs without going through the same formal sign-off process. We must hold Auckland Transport to account. Changes of this magnitude should also go through the same level of scrutiny. It is undemocratic to move forwards with these changes without formal input from the Auckland Council Governing Body and Local Board.
We join Greater Auckland in being really very cross with these last minute and undemocratic changes which Auckland Transport have made in the midst of project delivery, almost a year after delivery began.
How you can fight for the East Street cycleway
Write to Auckland Transport and Auckland Council
You can help by emailing your thoughts on this to Auckland Transport Chair Richard Leggat, CEO Dean Kimpton, Director Infrastructure & Place Murray Burt, and CEO Auckland Council Phil Wilson.
To: Richard.leggat@at.govt.nz, dean.kimpton@at.govt.nz, Murray.Burt@at.govt.nz, phil.wilson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
CC in anyone else you would like to take note of your thoughts. Potentially this may include the Auckland Transport project team, Head of Cycling Adrian Lord, the Waitematā Local Board, Councilor for Waitematā Mike Lee, and our Mayor Wayne Brown.
CC: projects@at.govt.nz, Adrian.Lord@at.govt.nz, waitematalocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, mike.lee@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, Mayor.Wayne.Brown@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Ideas you could mention
Mention the aspects of this change which matter most to you. Here are the points we are making.
- It’s almost a year since the project began. Changing the design at this stage is undemocratic, and unfair to all who gave feedback.
- This is making me lose faith that my feedback during submissions or engagement in the political process will be considered at all.
- Changing the design after people in positions of power signed it off, and without going through the same sign off processes again, has undermined my trust not only in Auckland Transport, but in Council and local decision making processes.
- Removing the existing cycleway and taking out the footpath widening from the plan will make it far less convenient to get around the area by foot and by bike. Making it easier for people to drive for their trips will lead to more people driving. This choice is contrary to your objectives to encourage modeshift to active transport, to reduce congestion, and to give people diverse transport options for getting to the station.
- This decision is short-sighted. It will reduce the value gained from investing in the Central Rail Link. Public transport stations require safe and convenient first and last mile options. Safe walkways and bike ways are crucial for maximising the number of people using the station
- If you don’t make the area around the station in Mercury Lane people-friendly and pleasant to dwell in, it will become a dangerous area. These are well-known principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. The most effective way to ensure the area will be safe is to make it attractive for people to frequent the area, providing natural surveillance. This new plan removes people-friendly elements of the design (such as the pedestrian mall, and no longer widening nearby paths). This will make people less likely to use this entrance, and the area will quickly become known to be problematic, further causing people to avoid it.
Ask Auckland Central’s MP to advocate for the original design
Write to MP for Auckland Central Chloe Swarbrick (Chloe.Swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz) and ask for her help. You could ask her to advocate to retain the cycleway on East street, the pedestrian improvements on Mercury Lane, and other features of the original design that you do not want to lose. Let her know Auckland Transport have made these changes in an undemocratic and unfair way, and you’re asking for her help to address that.
Locals can join the community reference group
If you live, work, or hang out in the area, you can join the community reference group to stay in the loop on this project. This may create opportunities for you to give your feedback to the project team directly.
More images of the design changes
From the Waitmatā Local Board Workshop agenda.
