Waka Kotahi over-cautious on Harbour Bridge closures

Waka Kotahi needs to review its closure policy and risk profiles for managing Auckland’s Harbour Bridge as yet another day of productivity is lost to Auckland’s economy, says the EMA.

"Effectively what we are seeing now is almost scare-mongering behaviour from NZTA. Worried North Shore residents either stay home or leave work early based on the off-chance that the New Zealand Transport Agency might close or reduce access to the Harbour Bridge," says EMA Head of Advocacy, Strategy and Finance, Alan McDonald.

"The current policy continues to look like a knee-jerk over reaction to the one serious damage accident we’ve had in 70 years of operation of the bridge.

"What we’re seeing today is people streaming home to the North Shore after NZTA continually warned of strong winds that have failed to eventuate. They are going home, not because of the weather, but because they are worried about being stranded or heavily delayed by the over-cautious approach to management of the bridge."

Mr McDonald says that accepting closures because of weather conditions was a given in extreme weather, and more extreme weather events were expected.

"But we also know NZTA has lowered its risk thresholds for weather-related closures and it increasingly appears that those thresholds are simply too low. Those thresholds need to be revisited."

"Businesses in the central city and workplaces around the greater Auckland region can’t keep putting up with disruptions to their workforces and businesses on the off-chance the bridge might close. Those closures also create further delays for critical freight moving to and from Northland and through the Auckland region from other major centres."