UNDERGROUND PLAN FOR AUCKLAND

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32010, 10 June 1969, Page 30

UNDERGROUND PLAN FOR AUCKLAND

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 9. A sl2m underground loop rail line with stations at the Town Hall, Hobson Street and Shortland Street is recommended for the Auckland proposed “rapid rail transit” system.

This is the finding of the four-man technical committee which has been investigating the scheme since March last year. The report was released today after study by the Cabinet in Wellington. The report does not give estimates of the full cost of the transit scheme which, when mooted in 1965 by the United States consultants De Leuw, Calther. was put down at s42m. The report has been referred by the Cabinet for detailed study to the Minister of Works (Mr Allen). The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said today after a Cabinet discussion on the report, that Mr Allen had already instructed his interdepartmental committee to report as quickly as possible on the possibility of a New Zealand working party being set up to carry out the additional technical and economic studies that had been recommended.

Earlier Report The technical committee scraps the earlier report for a subway under Custom Street and Queen Street to the Town Hall. It also recommends initially extending the terminals at the southern and northern terminals. It is proposed that a team should be established to in vestigate and report on the width of the track to be used.

The New Zealand gauge of 3ft 6in was not adequate and it might be necessary to build the line to either 4ft BJin or sft 6in width. The use of a three-station layout was considered to be justified by the better coverage achieved of the area and the desirability of providing an interchange between the bus routes to North Shore.

The report says a fully integrated bus system could fulfil the need at 1 the present time but in the future must either require the restriction

of motor vehicles in the inner city or the provision of exclusive bus routes, at considerable cost. Car Parking Land totalling 105 acres at 25 stations was considered suitable for car parking. This would cater for 16,000 cars and would cost about sl.sm with a further sl.sm for development. It says it would be prudent to start land purchase for car parking use as soon as financial agreement has been reached between the Government and the Auckland Regional Authority,

which will run the system. The committee considered it would be necessary to eliminate all level crossings on the line used by this system. It was considered advisable to provide for a future extension to the international airport with a route near Papatoetoe station to the airport. The single loop line proposed in the inner city area was cheaper than the proposals set out by previous consultants for a double line up Queen Street. Most of the tunnelling required would be in sandstone.