Frequent bridge closures 'hurt Auckland economy'

Monday, 3 July 2023

The bridge has had lanes closed, or speed limited, frequently in recent years.

Auckland business representatives say frequent closures or restrictions on the Harbour Bridge are a hit to the city’s productivity.

Speeds were reduced on the bridge on Monday due to strong winds.

Since 2020 when a “freak” gust of wind pushed a truck into the bridge and damaged it, closures have become more frequent.

EMA head of advocacy Alan McDonald said it had become almost “scaremongering” behaviour from Waka Kotahi.

The department needed to review its closure policy and risk profiles for the bridge, he said, because it was damaging Auckland’s economy.

“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,' he said.

'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.

A look back at the history of the Auckland Harbour Bridge as it celebrates its 60th anniversary. (First published in May 2019)

'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.'

He said closures in extreme weather would warrant closure, and more extreme weather was 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.'

Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Bridges said the bridge was closing more frequently than it used to.

“What would be good to know is whether this is due to resiliency issues increasing as the bridge ages or whether the risk tolerance of officials is decreasing.

“In either case we need to understand this more. Every time the Bridge shuts the productivity of Auckland takes a real hit. Workers can’t get to their workplaces and trucks can’t get their freight to its end points disrupting businesses for the worse.”