Auckland’s $41 billion question

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City leaders seek public feedback about where the money should be spent.
Faced with an expected multi-billion-dollar funding shortfall, planners are asking Aucklanders what roading and transport projects they consider the most important for the city over the next 10 years.
“There are more projects than money, so we’re looking to the public to help shape what works we prioritise between now and 2034,” says Hamish Bunn, Group Manager Transport System Strategy at Auckland Transport (AT).
Up to $63 billion is needed to cover projects and programmes proposed in the 2024 draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) and, to complete them, the region needs an injection of $41 billion from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).
“But $41 billion is more than will be available; the costs are a lot more than the funding Auckland is likely to receive,” Bunn says. “Because of this we need to need to signal which projects are our highest priority for funding and this is why we want to hear what Aucklanders think.
“Transport affects everyone every day and while we realise everyone wants – well, not quite everything – we are hoping for some clear signals from the public. Although we want to make sure we hear from everyone across Auckland, we really want to encourage younger Aucklanders to feedback, as these changes will benefit them in the future and they are a group who don’t often complete surveys.
“We want to know what people think about more bus lanes, roads, cycleways or electric transport,” Bunn says. “Equally they can also tell us if there are other priorities that should be considered like a second harbour crossing for example.”
Bunn says the consultation is a genuine attempt to seek the views of Aucklanders: “We will be attaching a lot of weight to the feedback we get, especially if there are issues which produce really strong opinions.”
The consultation period is open until June 17 and people can submit their feedback online or attend any of a series of drop-in sessions being held throughout Auckland during May and June.
Bunn says the RLTP is a major plan for Auckland that sets out which projects and programmes AT – along with the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and KiwiRail – is seeking to fund or partly fund from the NLTF.
He says the plan, which is produced by AT on behalf of the Regional Transport Committee, is reviewed every three years (the last review was in 2021) and forms the basis for the Auckland region’s “bid” for funding.
While Aucklanders are being asked for their views, Bunn says there are a number of projects that will be prioritised no matter what. These include improvements to existing public transport services, the completion of projects already committed like the Eastern Busway and the City Rail Link and new trains.
Another must is the maintenance of the transport network. Bunn says the surface of about 8 per cent of local roads need to be renewed every year, a task he says the city has fallen behind in in recent years. As a result, the plan shows that around a quarter of local roading is in a poor or very poor condition. Looking after the rail network to minimize disruption is also a particular priority.
“The plan proposes that public transport projects are generally the highest priority followed by local roads, the expansion of the cycling network and those that address the challenges of city growth,” he says. “State highway improvements, while still important, are considered a relatively low priority for funding.”
The completion of these leaves choices around where new capital should be spent, especially over the next three years – the main options being smaller transport projects to improve the speed and reliability of bus and ferry services, larger rapid transport options, major motorway projects (including the Roads of National Significance), sustainable travel and investment in safety infrastructure to reduce deaths and serious injury on the transport network.
The transport priorities in the draft plan are taken from Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) and the government’s Government Policy Statement (GPS). Funding from the NLTF comes from fuel taxes and Road User Charges.
Bunn says once feedback has been collated, the Regional Transport Committee and Auckland Council’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee will be briefed along with local community boards (the boards can also offer feedback at this stage). The plan will then be re-drafted with the final version due for submission to NZTA on August 1.
To provide feedback online go to: haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/hub-page/rltp or at.govt.nz/RLTP