50 Victoria Street
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
New Zealand
T 64 4 894 5400
F 64 4 894 6100
www.nzta.govt.nz
1 July 2021
Phillip Hart
[FYI request #15629 email]
REF: OIA-8221
Dear Phillip
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 1 June 2021 requesting the following information under the Official Information Act
1982 (the Act):
Please provide detail of all the planning (including estimated costs and time frames) that has been conducted
into the feasibility of reserving one or more lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge for public transport. Please
compare and contrast this with the same information for cycling and walking bridge provisions.
On 3 June 2021 you clarified your request:
The focus of my request is about potential conversion of traffic lanes on the Harbour Bridge to cycling/walking
lanes - as opposed to converting one or more lanes to public transport only lanes. The work that Brett Gliddon
outlined on RNZ Checkpoint on 31 May 2021 might be relevant in defining the scope?... I am not interested in
Skypath, Northern Pathway or Sea Path - only planning to convert general traffic lanes.
The following documents fall within the scope of your request and are enclosed:
• Attachment 1: Cross Harbour Walking and Cycling Connection: DRAFT Transport Modelling and Economic
Evaluation (November 2019)
• Attachment 2: Investment & Delivery Committee Paper: Opening the Auckland Harbour Bridge for Events.
The work referred to by Brett Giddon on RNZ Checkpoint is ongoing. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is
continuing to look for short term solutions to be able to provide walking and cycling access across the Waitematā
harbour before the Northern Pathway is complete. This includes options such as dedicated ferries, and lane
reallocation on the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
These solutions need to address safety, walking and cycling, freight movements, motorist demands, and
operational issues. Waka Kotahi has already carried out some initial investigations and is continuing to look at
how this can be achieved.
As part of this work Waka Kotahi will investigate the feasibility of a trial for walking and cycling over the Auckland
Harbour Bridge. We will look in detail at what would be required to provide safe access for people on foot and on
bikes across the bridge, and what the impacts would be on wider travel patterns in Auckland and on other users
of the bridge.
Certain information has been withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the Act. This section allows for the withholding of
information to protect the privacy of individuals. With respect to the information that has been withheld, I do not
consider there are any other factors which would render it desirable, in the public interest, to make the information
available.
Waka Kotahi is currently preparing a proactive release of the advice provided to the Government to inform its
decision for the Northern Pathway, as announced on 4 June 2021. We have noted your interest in this matter and
will provide you with a link to the information once it has been published.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to withhold
information. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be located at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
If you would like to discuss this reply with the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, please contact Ministerial
Services by email at [email address].
Yours sincerely
Josh Driscoll
Principal Advisor, Ministerial Services
