My Account
Information about the process by which Auckland Transport (AT) prioritises projects has revealed that the Penlink Rd from Whangaparaoa to Redvale currently rates fairly highly.
AT uses a five-point scale to measure transport projects’ contribution to their overall strategy. The project information is fed into a calculator, which spits out a ranking. Adjustments are made from time to time to the priority areas – for example if there is a strong focus on public transport, projects that meet that criteria go up the list.
A chart released by Cr John Watson shows that Penlink scores four (out of five) for “increased access to transport choices” and “moving people and goods efficiently”. In the other four criteria, which include “better use of transport investment” and “reduced effects, safety”, it rates three out of five.
Cr Watson says he is concerned that Penlink doesn’t rate higher when it comes to safety.
“I would have thought that the need for provision of a second access to Whangaparaoa Peninsula would put it right at the very top of the scale,” he says.
He says that AT’s ranking of the project when it comes to contribution to public transport (listed here under “increased access to transport choices”) has gone up with awareness of the option of appropriately positioned park and rides and the potential link to the northern busway (HM April 15).
Cr Watson says that despite the fact that Penlink meets AT’s criteria, the bar is being raised higher and higher when it comes to prioritising projects, because of the limited budget.
“The longer it’s delayed, the more the cost goes up. At present it stands at $384 million, but inflation adjusted cost for implementation a decade later puts the cost up to $500 million.”
