Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has hit back at comments from Eden Park boss Nick Sautner after train delays left hundreds waiting to get home from an All Blacks game.
People were left waiting as long as 40 minutes for a train after first Bledisloe rugby test against the Wallabies on Saturday night, frustrating fans and event management.
On Monday, Sautner called for rail platform upgrades and a pedestrian footbridge across Sandringham Rd, in the suburb of Mt Eden, to prevent delays.
Brown responded to comments made by Sautner in a statement on Tuesday titled, "Let's get the facts straight on Eden Park rail disruption".
Comments about a new "expensive" footbridge were "inappropriate, disappointing and missed the real issue", the mayor said.
"The comments are particularly disappointing because this issue primarily relates to event traffic management arrangements that Eden Park itself is responsible for managing.
"It's not acceptable to use a disruption affecting thousands of Aucklanders as an opportunity to advocate for a costly infrastructure project that would ultimately have to be paid for by Auckland ratepayers."
The delays were caused by primarily by the late closure of the Morningside Drive level crossing by Eden Park's contractors, Brown said, which meant trains could not be positioned ready to go after the game.
He said initial audit findings indicated that the crossing closure was implemented later than required under the approved Traffic Management Plan by Eden Park's traffic management contractor.
"Before anyone starts calling for uncosted and expensive new infrastructure, we need to establish the facts and make sure existing plans and procedures are being followed properly."
A new footbridge would not have prevented disruption, he said.
"Let's stick to the facts. This appears to have been an operational issue, not an infrastructure one.
"The question Aucklanders should be asking is whether the approved plan was implemented properly, not whether they need to pay for another expensive piece of infrastructure."
Auckland could not afford to pursue every project that was proposed after a single incident, Brown said.
"Every dollar has to come from somewhere. If you want Aucklanders to pay for a big new project, be honest about it. Tell them what gets delayed, what gets cut, or who's picking up the bill.
"We've got huge pressures across transport, water and growth infrastructure. The bar for new spending must be high, because ratepayers must get value for money."
A review was under way into what happened on Saturday, Brown said, but it was clear there was a bigger issue.
"With more major events, new CRL [City Rail Link] services and Auckland Council now in charge of Auckland's roads, it's time to take a fresh look at how transport around Eden Park operates.
"Council should lead that work alongside Auckland Transport, Auckland One Rail, Eden Park and other key partners."
He believed the focus needed to be on practical, low-cost improvements that reduced unnecessary traffic management and made it easier for people to get to and from events.
Auckland Transport earlier said about 15,000 people used rail to get to and from the game, but a delay to a level crossing closure stopped trains on the east-west line, leaving hundreds of people waiting at Kingsland Station.
Sautner told RNZ’s Morning Report programme the connectivity between Eden Park and the rail network had not improved in a decade, despite investment in the City Rail Link.
"We've invested in a $6 billion CRL but the adjacent infrastructure, whether it be the level crossings or platform upgrade and a footbridge into Kingsland, needs urgent attention."
Sautner said the Morningside level crossing should be moved to either above or below ground to reduce future disruption.
