Around 180 people turned out for public meeting on transport at the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club.
Hosted by Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown, the meeting on Tuesday was intended to provide the community with information about important transport projects focused on East Auckland.
Auckland Transport gave a presentation and was to hear directly from residents.
“Transport is arguably the biggest concern that local residents have raised with me since I became their MP, and I felt it was important to engage directly with them and with officials from Auckland Transport,” Brown says.
“To have had such a large turnout on Tuesday confirms that the people of Pakuranga care about what happens to their local transport network, and understand the need to speak up on these issues.”
“I am particularly grateful to Auckland Transport for coming along to discuss projects like AMETI and the eastern new network and to outline the impact that it will have.”
Other issues discussed at the meeting included the East West Link cancelled by the new government, and the proposed 10c a litre fuel tax.
“The East West Link is a vital project for the Onehunga-Penrose industrial area with flow on benefits for Pakuranga residents travelling out West and to the airport,” he says.
Brown says he will continue to fight for the East West Link to be reinstated as a priority infrastructure project.
“I am also very concerned about the fuel tax that has been jointly proposed by Labour and the Auckland Council. I was buoyed by the opposition shown by those who attended this public meeting, and I will ensure their voices are heard as this issue progresses.”