You can't blame Lakesh Makan - his family has run its business in West Lynn's Richmond Road for 25-years!
Business has been noticebly down for City Liquor Centre Richmond Road in the last few months. In fact Lakesh Makan believes business has dropped at least 30% in the eight months since Auckland Transport moved a bustop from it’s position outside the Child Youth and Family to right outside his shop.
He’s not the only business or resident unhappy with the decisions made by Auckland Transport. There is growing discontent amongst the West Lynn community with the way Auckland Transport is making its decisions and managing its communication process.
“They say they are consulting, they turn up to meetings the community organises, they listen, but they don’t hear us. They just go ahead and do the very things we all object to. The community just wants the bus stop moved back to its original location,” says Lakesh.
Auckland Transport is now proposing other locations for the bus stop. One just a little further down the road from Lakesh’s shop but the community knows it will cause traffic to grind to a halt and they simply don’t want a bus stop destroying the heart of their village. A recent letter to Mr Makan from a Senior Consultation Advisor for Auckland Transport, Daniel McCabe, appears to offer the option of moving the bus stop back to it’s original location. It’s what the community wants, but will Auckland Transport listen and hear (ANDREA KAHUKIWA)