Aotea CLG minutes May 2021

Aotea Station - Community Liaison Group Meeting - Minutes – May 2021 DATE

Thursday, 20 May 2021

TIME

4.00pm – 6.00pm

LOCATION

Tony’s Lord Nelson Restaurant 37 Victoria Street West, Auckland

MEETING

Aotea Station Community Liaison Group Meeting

ATTENDEES

Link Alliance presenters: Shaun Sutton – Community Manager Matt Sinclair – Aotea Station Manager Alexandra Scouller, Planner Alan Whitely - Urban Realm Lead Cameron Ritter – Architecture Lead Auckland Transport: Suresh Patel, Network Integration Manager, Alliances

Agenda • Introductions • Presentations on Urban Design DWP feedback and submission process (Alexandra Scouller) • Presentation on the Aotea Station design from Alan Whitely (public realm), and Cameron Ritter (station architecture) • Overview of the construction phase of works for the public realm reinstatement with Station Manager Matt Sinclair.

• Q&A • Break up and opportunity to talk with subject matter experts.

Presentations Presentation from Link Alliance is published with these minutes.

Response from Auckland Transport included with these minutes in appendix.

Questions/feedback to Link Alliance following presentation •

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The consultation process for the Urban Realm Design has been ongoing since 2015, and now there is only a 10-day feedback period. How does this process comply with the consent conditions?

- The CRL designation conditions defines the process that the Link Alliance is required to undertake in relation to consultation. This includes giving the CLG the opportunity to provide feedback on the development of the DWPs. The feedback received is collated, including detail regarding the degree to which this feedback has been considered and where applicable incorporated into the design. This feedback is included in the UD DWP that will be submitted to Auckland Council.

- There has been no breach of consent conditions as the correct process has been followed, including prior engagement with the community and other key stakeholders. This includes a CLG meeting in February 2021 to present on the urban realm design and gather feedback.

No rubbish bins can be seen in the renders. What is the plan for refuse management such as bins on the street? There are concerns that the lack of rubbish bins and refuse management could impact health and amenities, rough-sleepers, and those providing support through pop-up meals, combined with heavy public transport use in the area.

- Rubbish bins have been designed and will be included in the final street design.

On the design it shows a Victoria Street East and Victoria Street West entrance names; this will cause considerable confusion – has there been any consideration around the entrance names?

- The names used in the document are working names only. They will not be the final name for these entrances. LA agree that those names would be confusing.

Renders do not look particularly green on Victoria Street West considering the proposed Linear Park.

- Design team has worked with Auckland Council to develop the area in line with the proposed Linear Park. The current designs show the maintaining of line of sight and clear pathways from the Victoria Street West entrances to facilitate the large number of passengers entering and leaving. The renders do not currently show or reflect the linear park design.

There is concern that the streetscape work will further affect businesses on top of the impact from COVID-19, particularly the impact on foot traffic and customer numbers.

- Pedestrian access will always be maintained to buildings and businesses. Please be aware that routes may change as works progress.

- Link Alliance has implemented a small business support plan within its mandate, including business wayfinding, hoarding design, and additional lighting along the pedestrian corridors.

Appendix: Auckland Transport response to Aotea Station Community Liaison Group (CLG) questions, 20 May 2021

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Is Intercity going to use Wellesley St bus Interchange? o The strategy for future coach operation is not determined and subject to future business case appraisal. o Issues with connections between intercity coaches and the wider public transport network have been identified, however there are more than 70 inter-regional coaches arriving & departing each day. Providing a high-quality connection point is a key consideration for Auckland Transport.

Want more electric buses in city centre – remove diesel buses faster o Four more e-buses will be added to services terminating in CC by the end of 2021. o More e-buses to CC are subject to commercial agreements with private bus operators (who own and operate fleet) and lead times to implement electricity network high voltage upgrades and installation of bus charging infrastructure at depots where buses serving CC are based. o Currently AT is negotiating with bus operators, Vector and other third parties to implement next tranche of electric buses at the end of 2022 and in 2023. o More e-buses are dependent on funding. Current funding proposed in LTP will enable about 450 e-buses to replace diesel fleet by 2030. Work is underway to identify other funding sources to transition remaining fleet by 2030. o More information on the project can be found: https://at.govt.nz/media/1985010/aucklands-low-emission-bus-roadmap-version-2october-2020.pdf We have been told there will be more buses coming into city centre o As the population increases the number of buses arriving in the city centre is expected to rise by a further 25% within a decade to meet growth requirements.

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Need strategy for bike and scooter parking. Want scooters etc. removed until there is a solution. o This is a feedback that Auckland Transport is aware of. AT’s Sustainable Mobility Team, who are responsible for active modes, are investigating the strategy for bike parking in the city centre. This will consider where scooters can be parked, but the decision will be dependent on Auckland Council’s decision as they are the agency to license e-scooters.

Uber and taxi strategy for where to PUDO (pick up / drop off) o This is identified as an issue but there is no current workstream to address this. This feedback has been expressed to AT’s Planning and Investment department.

Loading and servicing critical needs now. Strategy & plan urgently needed. Not happy with what is on Albert St north of Wyndham. o There is currently a City Centre Servicing & Loading plan being initiated that will address managing curbside space in the city centre. If a business has specific feedback about a site on servicing and loading, they can log this through the AT Website.

Diesel buses creating lots of fumes from idling and queueing on Wyndham St. o While Albert St and Mayoral Dr are closed, this is the only route these bus services can use during the period. In a few years, buses will use the length of Albert Street and not use Wyndham Street.

Are residents still going to be able to use the southern end of Federal St (between Wellesley & Mayoral) as a cul-de-sac and have access from Wellesley St as previously? o Access to federal street will vary depending on the time being considered – If it is about the current CRL urban design then no change. Plans for longer term Wellesley Street bus corridor may change this, but this has not been decided. Consultation for the future Wellesley Street o The Federal Street streetscape removes parking and narrows carriageway giving wider footpaths. The Federal Street project makes no changes to allowed traffic movements in or out. o There are temporary movement bans that may be needed to facilitate construction through 2021.