Experts’ Report On Auckland City Transport Problems

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 October 1950, Page 6

Experts’ Report On Auckland City Transport Problems

AUCKLAND, This Day (P.A.).— The idea of one board to run all public transport in the Auckland metropolitan area, was excellent, said the Mayor of Auckland, Sir John Allum, before he left on a visit to Wellington. He was referring to the passenger traffic section of the report by Sir William Halcrow and Mr J. P. Thomas, of London, on the transport and harbour facilities in Auckland. The report was released for publication today. . Sir John remarked that the idea of one board for public transport had doubtless been inspired by the success of the London Passenger Transport Board. The suggestion of car-parks at suburban stations might mean some changes in the City Council’s plans to establish substantial car-parks in. the city. The plans might need a certain amount of revision. The City Council would also doubtless seriously consider the suggested road-service terminal in the forecourt of the Auckland railway station. Sir John reiterated the statement he made on Saturday, that the electrified suburban railway system could not be of great value without a tunnel. TWIN TUNNELS UNDER AUCKLAND HARBOUR EXPERTS’ PROPOSAL AUCKLAND, This Day (P.A.).— Twin tunnels, to carry the City-North Shore railway link, should be built to relieve the Auckland harbour bridge when it is working to capacity in about 20 years’ time, says the Halcrow-Thomas report on the Auckland transport and harbour facilities. Their report was released for publication today. . The link should be extended into two or three local branches on the North Shore to give a through train service to the city and suburbs on the south side of the harbour. It could be an under-harbour extension of either the proposed underground railway (from the corner of Queen and Shortland streets to Devonport) or the existing main trunk waterfront railway (from Point Resolution to Devonport). ' The report recommends that the proposed four-lane road bridge should be built without provision for railway lines. The tunnels should be nearer the “centre of the traffic gravity” than the bridge, which will be a mile away. The report estimates the cost of twin tunnels for London tube-style rolling stock at from £2,250,000 to £2,970,000. For the main-line rolling stock with an overhead power pick-up, the estimated cost is from £3,380,000 to £4,670,000. This compares with an estimated £2,200,000 for a twin-track railway bridge besides the road bridge, but approaches for the bridge might cost as much as the bridge itself. The report states that a through train service from the North Shore to the City, Papatoetoe and Henderson would boost Auckland’s population far beyond the estimated 650,000 in 1975. UNDERGROUND AND ELECTRIC TRAINS: PLAN FOR AUCKLAND AUCKLAND, This Day (P.A.).— The British experts, Sir William Halcrow and Mr J. P. Thomas, regard the electrification of suburban railway lines as essential, but not the final answer to Auckland’s transport problems. Cabinet’s decision to start the electrification of Auckland’s lines has already been announced by the Minister of Works, Mr W. S. Goosman, who released the Halcrow-Thomas report today. Immediate recommendations, based on schemes already proposed by New Zealand public works and railway engineers, call for a capital expenditure of £5,456,500. This is £1,759,500 lower than the estimated cost of the New Zealand engineers’ plan. The main recommendations of the British experts are:— 1. The construction of a city underground line, with underground stations in Shortland street and the new Civic Square site and a service station at Arch Hill. A third underground station could be built at Victoria Park, if necessary. The estimated cost of these works is £2,164,000. ‘ 2. Suburban railways linked with the city underground line to be electrified. The report recommends that plans for railway communication with the proposed upper harbour port developments be deferred “as there is little chance of the port being built in the near future,”