A local candidate in this year’s Auckland Council elections has come out swinging against the latest decision regarding the route of the Eastern Busway.
Damian Light is standing for a council seat in the Howick ward at the local-body elections scheduled to be held in October.
He says he opposes the decision by Auckland Transport (AT) to have the busway run through Burswood instead of along Ti Rakau Drive from Pakuranga to Botany Town Centre.
That move will require the purchase of dozens of homes in Burswood to make way for the busway.
“Auckland Transport’s decision to destroy more homes to build the Eastern Busway is a terrible outcome for Auckland,” Light says.
“I feel for the residents of Burswood, who have been forced to fight to keep their homes.
“Community feedback has been clear. We support the busway but not taking an unnecessary diversion through people’s homes.”
Light says he’s keen to see the busway completed so the community can recognise the benefits.
Faster connections to Auckland CBD and onto the city’s rail network will help reduce congestion and pollution in east Auckland, which continues to grow, he says.
“The diversion [through Burswood] means the $1.4 billion project will miss the East Tamaki business district, which means it will be of little use to the 40,000-plus people who work in this area.
“It also increases the length of the trip for buses, cyclists and pedestrians.”
Light says AT has admitted reallocation of road space along Ti Rakau Drive, as per the busway’s original plan, remains the cheapest option.
“AT claim going via Burswood will enable faster construction, with less impact on existing traffic, but this is the widest part of Ti Rakau Drive with six lanes, ample median strip and berms.
“The lack of transparency and accountability for this decision make it very difficult to accept it was based on evidence.
“We need the Eastern Busway we were promised and this isn’t it.”
