Our RLTP Submission

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We have been working along side Matakana Coast Trail Trust to prepare a submission to the AT Regional Land Transport plan. This process has taken a considerable amount of time and effort.

Submission Process


We noted quite early on that the have your say feedback site made no provision for comments other than in response to the questions posed by AT. Once AT were made aware of that we were given an email address where these comments could be sent. You can email your submissions to daniel.mccabe@at.govt.nz

Our Submission

Our submission focusses on a few major points.

Auckland Council staff have not included the Pūhoi to Mangawhai Trail (which includes our proposed Snells Beach to Warkworth trail) in the RLTP and thereby completely failed to understand that:

  • It would provide genuine cycling commuter options for workers and students between Warkworth – Matakana – Snells Beach, all rapidly urbanising areas
  • It provides the most cost-effective option per km to grow Auckland’s cycling network  
  • AT have failed to provide walkers and cyclists with a safe active mode transport option in Auckland most dangerous roading area thereby completely failing to live up Auckland’s Vision Zero Strategy  

We request that Auckland Transport incorporates into the planning framework the following:

  1. Mandatory consideration of connections for walking and cycling with all new subdivisions. This includes taking into account the proposed Matakana Coast Trail and the Rodney Local Board Greenways Plan for our area. 
  2. Proactive support from AT for ‘Corridor Security’ or ‘Creating Connectivity’ for all routes both on road and off road across multiple land tenures. 
  3. When support is requested by Matakana Coastal Trail Trust or the Mahurangi Trail Society, that request is given a higher priority it might currently have. We need your timely support in building a world class trail.
  4. The ability to request timely expert advice on dealing with road-trail interfaces as these are identified. e.g.
    1. where an off-road route crosses an existing road
    2. where the trail may be in the road corridor
    3. identifying locations suitable for bus stops or public transport access

The Matakana Coast Trail initiative is a low cost, low risk, highly deliverable opportunity that provides many beneficial outcomes to our local communities.  The planned Matakana Coast Trail is so closely aligned with the objectives of the RLTP we urge you to include it officially in the RLTP. We will be attracting significant funding from alternative sources. 

You can download a copy of our submission here.

MTS-RLTP-Submission 2021-04 V04Download

Submissions close in a few days on 2nd May.

3.5 Bridges so far

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Regular users of the Farm Forestry Trail will have noticed the upgrades taking place to the boardwalk structures. These upgrades are part of a wider plan for ensuring the trail has enduring public access. Part of that process involves nominating a “controlling authority”, and in our case that is Auckland Council. When we spoke with Auckland Council about it, they were very keen however it became obvious quite quickly that our “Farm Race” standard structures would not be adequate to them. As a result we now have a series of nice new structures.

We therefore embarked on what we called the 4 Bridges project. This project is basically remediating and bringing each structure to the standard agreed with AK Council. We have received funding support from Matakana Coast Trail Trust and guidance and project support from the AK Council Community Facilities people. The Walking Access Commission are guiding us through the process of establishing the easements and all the legal stuff. We have had a significant amount of professional help from Hutchinson Consulting and have used standard designs where they exist. We also have managed to re-use a significant portion of the materials from the original structures.

Kitset Bridges

All of the structures were built as kitsets and test assembled in my workshop. This eliminated any risk of treated sawdust entering Duck Creek and simplified the over all construction process. Any assembly issues were identified and sorted in a safe environment. All of the on site work then became little more than carrying the pre-fabricated parts, bolting things together and screwing down the decking. As each structure was completed the recovered timber was brought back to the workshop and then re-purposed for the next structure.

  • DCB Design
  • Piles of parts.
  • Sawdust in chip collector
  • Measure twice..
  • Shelley installing hand rails

All of the labour except for the scaffolding has been volunteer labour. I continue to be amazed at the level of competency and motivation we have from our volunteer community. I must say thanks to Roger, Callum, Selwyn, Nyal, June, Shelley, Nick, Des and Al for your hard work and efforts. The fine people from Absolute Scaffolding made our large work area safe and productive. At the time of writing (with half a bridge to go) we have recorded over 220 hours of volunteer effort.

  • Absolute Scaffolding doing their magic
  • Scaffolding up around the old bridge

I must go now and organise some work on the last structure. There is a large pile of pre-cut timber waiting to be walked to site and screwed down.

Gary Heaven

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