A community engagement process began in March/April 2007 and involved public information days, meetings with potentially impacted property owners, iwi and key stakeholders, as well as workshops.

This initial consultation phase generated significant interest:

• 500 people attended the public information days
• 531 public responses were received, increasing to 700 when key stakeholder responses were added
• there were 189 inquiries to the 0800 AMETI number.

What the community said

• The predominant response from the public was that something needed to be done to improve transport in the east.
• There was support in principle for the objectives of AMETI.
• People wanted a balance of initiatives, improved passenger transport, a more efficient road network and a better environment for cycling and walking.
• People wanted to see improved pedestrian and cycle amenities, more frequent bus services, rail connections to East Tamaki protected for the future and community, and environmental and heritage features protected and enhanced.

Changes since consultation

Following community engagement, a number of aspects of the proposal as it stood in March 2007 were changed, and further changes occurred after the peer review process during 2008-2009. These include:

• the intersection between Mt Wellington Highway and Waipuna Road likely to remain ‘at grade’ (road or ground level, not an overbridge)
• residents in and around Ireland Road able to continue to turn into Ireland Road from Waipuna Road
• a cover or lid to be built over the rail corridor and street between Ellerslie Panmure Highway and Mountain Road in Panmure
• the extent of widening of Mt Wellington Highway expected to be reduced.