Michael Wood
Wellington, November 8, 2021
Labour follows Manifesto with Light Rail and other projects
Light Rail Bader Drive (Picture Supplied)
As a proud and life-long Aucklander, I know that a past failure to invest in public transport means our city lacks the kind of efficient and linked-up transport system that other large and growing international cities enjoy.
Moving around can be frustrating and improving public transport in Auckland has always been a priority for me as MP for Mt Roskill and as Transport Minister. Over the next few decades, we expect Auckland will experience ongoing high growth, with the population likely to exceed two million by the early 2030s.
That is a lot of people needing to get from A to B and everywhere in between.
The Climate Change Commission’s clear advice is that we need to significantly boost investment in public transport to meet our emissions targets.
We are committed to working with the local government to improve public transport services across New Zealand – reducing emissions and traffic congestion, as well as creating jobs and supporting urban development.
Our government has already significantly increased investment into public transport, with approximately $5 billion planned over the next three years. That is more than 150% increase compared to the previous government’s public transport commitments.
We need to see high capacity, linked-up rapid transit across Auckland, as well as improved rail, cycling and walking options.
East Auckland developments
There are many examples of new and improved public transport options that Aucklanders can look forward to in the near future. For one, we are bringing forward the Eastern Busway with an additional $200 million investment recently announced. The Eastern Busway will give the suburbs of Pakuranga, Howick and Botany, which have been underserved by good public transport for decades, reliable and easier access to jobs and education, and connections with the rest of Auckland’s public transport network.
East Aucklanders will have even more transport choices via a planned 1.9 km link between Glen Innes and Panmure, connecting the Eastern Busway cycleway with the Glen Innes to Tamaki cycleway.
The Eastern Busway will give the residents of East Auckland the same reliable and frequent access to public transport as the North Shore busway. It will also link with the Panmure train station, opening up commuter rail to hundreds of thousands more people.
We know from looking at the success of the Northern Busway that when Aucklanders have good transport options, they use them. The new Eastern Busway will not only allow residents to move around more quickly and sustainably, but will also lead to urban development, and will help reduce congestion.
The Light Rail Project
And with congestion in Auckland already costing around $1.3 billion a year pre-Covid, we need to act now to ensure our city grows safely and sustainably.
Aucklanders can also look forward to the Auckland Light Rail project, with options for the first stage announced recently, which will connect the City Centre to Mangere.
Our government will decide which option to proceed with at the end of the year, but I want to emphasise the fact that all three options stack up. All of the short-listed light rail options will lead to massive urban development: up to 66,000 homes could be built along the corridor, with new housing areas planned for Mt Roskill, Onehunga, and Mangere.
The transport modes vary between the options, from a Melbourne-style modern tram to a London-style underground metro, with a middle option that is a modern tram with a tunnelled section from Wynyard Quarter to Mt Roskill.
There are pros and cons of each – some faster, some less disruptive, some more growth-intensive – but all three solutions will lead to far more extensive and efficient transport across Auckland and will help Auckland’s economic recovery by supporting up to 16,000 jobs.
Delivering light rail to Auckland is a manifesto commitment of ours, and while the price tag of the project is significant, we need to be clear that a failure to act now will only lead to far higher costs in the future. While more details about the specific business cases and economic analysis will be shared in the near future, for now, I make a commitment to businesses in the area that significant disruption will be addressed through a comprehensive package, including direct financial support.
The time to act is now. Our government wants to build a future-proof transport network in Auckland – one that will make getting around that much easier.
Between the Eastern Busway and Auckland Light Rail, the city is in for a transformative decade ahead, and I for one look forward to a transport network worthy of our city.
Michael Wood is Transport Minister of New Zealand. The Videos appearing in this story have been taken from the Light Rail Project website.
