“The cones, the cones are coming!” the Grey Lynn Butcher, Lucia Rodrigues, phoned me in a panic, “They are outside the shops, coming into the village, what is Auckland Transport up to now?”
Eight years ago my friend and fellow activist Soala Wilson, a long time Grey Lynn business owner, was one of the heroes of the Occupy Garnet Road movement when locals banded together to oppose road changes to the Grey Lynn shops on Great North Road, as well as Surrey Cresent, Old Mill and Garnet Road. Over 3400 residents signed a petition saying NO to AT’s plan to remove parking in order to put through a bike lane. When Soala left Auckland due to family commitments I promised her that I would continue the work to stop AT destroying the Grey Lynn shops with their plans for a bus hub.
Every two years since 2018, AT has conducted another and another and another round of public consultations, until only the views of those that agree with them are considered. The bus hub concept is currently being foisted upon the residents of Ivanhoe Road because they are closer to the motorway access and perceived as an easier option.
In 2023, I came out of self imposed exile and attended an AT board meeting chaired by ardent bike advocate Richard Legget, who was selected for the position by Mayor Wayne Brown. Local business people and those who dared to stand up and oppose the reinvigorated cycleway plans were loudly shouted down with jeers and boos by the bike lobby in a clearly stacked public gallery.
The bike lobby won that battle. AT approved the $28 million dollar transport project and the concrete cutters started up with a vengeance. The four lane Great North Road, one of the country’s busiest main arterial routes, is currently being reduced to two lanes peppered with in-line bus stops, a gold plated cycleway including massive side street tables jutting into the road that further constrict the commuter flow.
It was no surprise that a diverse crowd of over 75 concerned Grey Lynn shopkeepers, building owners, residents and customers eagerly attended the Pocket Bar public meeting late November, called by Lucia, to discuss how to stop the Grey Lynn village carparks being changed and removed. Everyone was quite confused about what was really planned by AT, mixed messages had created friction and factions. It was my job as the old Public Watchdog to organise the gathering and MC proceedings, encouraging everyone to come together and have a say. Unfortunately AT refused to be in the room, asking if their safety could be guaranteed. A peculiar perspective that points to them knowing full well that the community had a different point of view about what was proposed, or rather what was already decided without any care for the livelihood or delicate commercial ecosystem about to go under the digger’s claw.
The chemists were worried that restricting parking times would impact their customers, some prescriptions need more time to prepare than others. The doctor was concerned about accessible parking for the unwell, aged and disabled. A local was disgusted at the hypocrisy of taking parking from outside her residence on the grounds of making the street safer. The head of the business association, Marco, said he would stand up to AT and Michael Richardson the manager of the BID (Business Improvement District) pledged his support to everyone. When The founder of Loop, Mikee, wanted a hand-made sign to put on his building, many others wanted one too. Everyone including the sushi shop, sports bar, kebab takeaway, dairies, eateries and cafe all unanimously agreed that a letter of strong opposition be sent to “all the powers that be” including the Mayor, councillors, local board members and Government ministers. It fell on deaf ears.
But the final say goes to the original architects of the Super City — the multinational infrastructure conglomerates (read big business) who needed a consolidated market in order to make unending profits. This is not a conspiracy theory.Do you remember an article I wrote a few years ago for the Ponsonby News about the Mordor Intelligence Firm? This scary sounding company offers “Precise market intelligence and clear advisory vision to provide actionable, fact based insights that drive better decisions and help shape the future of industries worldwide.”
In 2025 the New Zealand infrastructure market is worth $14.6 billion US dollars, and this sector includes: transportation, utilities, social engineering and extraction. AT is the unashamed clearing house transferring millions of dollars from your rates and taxes to the big boys. By March 2026, when AT is finally brought to heel and under council control everything that the Supercity promised big business will have been done!
All around the world the cycleway phenomenon has torn up cities in the name of Saving the Planet but the ugly truth is that these greedy, insatiable corporations have used the gullible bike enthusiasts to make unimaginable amounts of money whilst covering Mother Nature in concrete.
The saddest thing is it has created a cancel culture of intergenerational conflict at a time when we all desperately need to be working together to change the way the world is run.
Lisa Prager
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