$785mn Waitemata Harbour cycle and pedestrian bridge scrapped

The government has scrapped plans to build dedicated cycle and pedestrian bridge over Auckland's Waitemata Harbour.

Transport Minister Michael Wood says the $785 million earmarked for the project will be reallocated to other projects, including the eastern busway.

Wood says the plan to provide better walking and cycling access across the harbour didn't get the public support it needed.

"The government is committed to providing better access to walking and cycling and reducing greenhouse emissions through our transport investments, but this particular project won't be part of that mix. It didn't get the public support needed for a project of its scale and we acknowledge that."

He says work will continue on a public transport-led additional harbour crossing.

"We allocated $60 million in the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) earlier this year for planning work and property acquisition to occur."

Dedicating a lane of the exisiting harbour bridge to pedestrians and cyclists has been ruled out.

- More to come