City Rail Link causing headaches for local businesses

Thursday, 25 May 2017

Auckland's City Rail Link is projected to finish in 2019 but local businesses fear they will be forced to shut their doors before they can reap the benefits of the upgraded area. 

Fourteen businesses on Albert Street in the CBD, where the construction is taking place, have complained to Auckland Transport about the impact of the project. Only four met the strict criteria to proceed to a claim. 

Touted as the city's most transformational project in the next decade, the extension of the existing rail network is meant to help ease the burdon on an already strained public transport system.

A walk down the once bustling Albert Street is now a maze of barriers, diggers, and the sound of jack hammers pounding the ground. 

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Nick McIntyre runs the historic Shakespeare Tavern. He's standing on the balcony of the iconic Auckland pub which looks down onto the epicentre of the construction site. 

'This used to be a draw card for us, now look at it. Who wants to put up with that when they're eating a meal?

'We've experienced at least a 20 per cent downturn in profit from last year.' 

Further down the road toward Quay Street, Convenience Store owner Luay Toufik is struggling. He's been open for two years but isn't sure if he'll still be operating in 12 months.

'The IRD told me I'll have to close if I have another year like the one I just had. It's tough.'

One of the problems for businesses like Toufik's is Albert Street is no longer on the bus route.

'There used to be a bus stop that stopped right outside my shop. They'd be going until late at night, now I've lost all those customers.' 

Across the road UP cafe owner Aaron Paul said they're not sure if they'll still be open in 2019 when the CRL is meant to be finished. 

'We're just keeping our heads above water at the moment.'

Auckland Transport has rejected any sort of compensation package for businesses or a reduction in rent. Spokesperson Carol Greensmith said there was an extensive consultation process with business owners prior to the start of the project. 

'We have 70 pages of a legally binding document that happened because of public submissions and consultation process.' 

The claim process was available for businessess to go through if they felt they had been impacted but Greensmith was unclear on exactly what could be claimed for. 

'I'm not an expert in the Public Works Act but basically if they can show a direct correlation in something that this project has done, or something negligent that affects their business a claim can be made.'

Greensmith pointed out there had been a number of factors at play on Albert Street. 

'The NZME building took up an entire city block and moved out because the building was bought by another company. That's a big chunk that's happened that has no relevance to the CRL,' she said. 

Paul acknowledged Auckland Transport had made attempts to engage with him and figure out temporary solutions to the problems the cafe encountered.

'Lack of parking is a huge problem for us. We've been given some parking vouchers for a parking building nearby but it doesn't really help attract customers in.' 

The lucrative cruise ship season didn't reach Albert Street over summer. Usually a short walk from the wharf, McIntyre and Paul noticed a difference this year. 

'Normally with cruise ship season we know exactly what is going on. We have a list of the cruise ships so the chef is ready for a big day when the cruise ships come in. That didn't happen this year. We weren't an option for cruise ships,' McIntyre said.

He believed there should have been something in place to remind visitors that Albert Street was still open.

'They should be in here giving us options or managing the disruption to our business. Or giving us ideas on how we can get customers walking into our pub.'