The future of Franklin Transport

  • 8 August 2023
  • Written by Courtney

HAVE YOUR SAY ON AT’S PUBLIC TRANSPORT PLAN

The public is invited to contribute feedback on Auckland Transport’s (AT)
proposed Regional Public Transport Plan by 17 August, 2023.

For the local area, this includes:
• The trial of on-demand rideshares, AT Local, in Pukekohe area to replace bus routes 391, 392 and 393 by 2025
• New stations in Drury and Paerātā that will open by 2026 and
electric trains are to be extended to Pukekohe via these stations
• Doubling the frequency of EastWest and Southern lines which will operate roughly every 7 to 8 minutes at peak times and every 15 minutes during off-peak hours.
• A new bus route from Clarks Beach to Papakura


To read the full draft plan and have your say on these changes, visit
at.govt.nz/rptp

 

Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth

Franklin Local board has provided formal feedback on Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth’s work around future transport networks for Pukekohe, Paerata and Drury South. Te Tupu Ngātahi is a collaboration between Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency but changes since 2019 have required new local input.

The board provided its formal feedback on the report, agreeing the
programme is essential in supporting the planning for Pukekohe-Paerata and south Drury’s economic, environmental, social, and cultural well-being. But deputy chair Alan Cole pointed to questions highlighted by the board.

“The diversion of freight away from residential areas and the town centre would deliver significant quality of life and safety outcomes while also reducing carbon emissions,” Cole says.

“We have significant concerns about the change from providing a ringroad in Pukekohe to divert trucks and freight from pedestrian-heavy areas, and the exclusion of upgrades to intersections on Route 20 on the Supporting Growth map.

The board backed efforts to support cycling and walking paths and the north-east and north-west sections of the ring road around Pukekohe as proposed, but not using the Golding Road intersection as the outer ring
road connection point.

“We do not support sending traffic past Pukekohe Hill Primary School because it would create safety and congestion issues, and we don’t support using West Street and Helvetia Road because it would split a residential community and undermine their quality of life.”

Other concerns centered on the proposed reduction from four to two lanes for any Ramarama-Pukekohe expressway.