Len Brown is determined to commit Auckland to building a hugely
expensive railway tunnel even though no independent and objective economic
analysis has been made on the merits of the tunnel and whether or not
alternative developments that do not concentrate on the city centre at the
expense of other centres, would be better. If this is true, then the Council
have neglected their obligation to investigate and evaluate all options before
they decide upon a plan for Auckland. Given the enormous amount of expenditure
involved, this amounts to a serious
dereliction of their duties.
Overseas research on in many urban rail systems reveals that the
average cost overrun is 45% and the number of passengers is half the predicted
amount. Has the economics of the Auckland tunnel been tested against 45% higher
costs and half the passengers? If not, why not?
