Petition to build rail in East Auckland gains momentum

A young advocate for better public transport in East Auckland has started a petition to establish a rail service in the area.

Botany Downs resident Nicolas Meyer started the petition on change.org after a previous proposal he had presented to Auckland Mayor Len Brown and advisors from the New Zealand Transport Agency was turned down.

But the 18-year-old AUT University student refuses to give up.

“They all said there’s no plans for rail in East Auckland, it’s too expensive and it’s not going to be feasible.

“Eventually, I thought ‘where should I go next’? So I started the petition, because I didn’t know what to do after they said that to me, and now it’s growing in signatures,” said Mr Meyer.

With over 800 signatures so far, petition signee Joel Mercer, 18, agreed.

“I signed the petition because I live over in East Auckland and the only real public transport that works for me is catching a bus, either to Panmure for the train station or all the way through to Auckland. It usually takes a really long time and it’s quite inconvenient.”

Howick Local Board Chairman David Collings said he was all for the idea of a rail service in the south-east Auckland area.

“Anything’s possible. To be honest, I’ve seen the petition and I’m actually really encouraged by it because for many years I’ve had that view, so I’m very supportive of the young man who’s done this and all the people who are giving him support,” Mr Collings said.

Mr Collings said that when he represented the former Manukau City Council on the regional land transport committee there was more rationale for an eastern rail line than an airport rail line.

“There was far more rationale with the growth of that corridor to do something and light rail was an option. Land was set aside down the centre on the Te Irirangi Drive for some sort of light rail in the future,” Mr Collings said.

He said the board had not made any decisions but would be receptive of any petition it received.

“I’m all for it. I think it would be a great thing in the future. If we had the cash and the money was there I’d certainly be a cheerleader for it,” said Mr Collings.

Mr Meyer is hopeful his petition would be well received.

“I’m going to make meetings to see Howick Local Board representatives, people in charge of Auckland Transport, even Len Brown himself again and I’m personally going to deliver everything to them.”

Mr Meyer believes a south-east rail line would be highly beneficial to the city.

“The case is build it and people will use it - Len Brown said that himself. It’s also going to pay for itself in increased productivity of the whole city with people not being stuck in traffic and able to get to work sooner.”