Light rail was given high priority in the Auckland Transport Alignment Project framework (hereafter ATAP), updated and released in April this year.
Over the first 10 years, the Government has committed NZ$1,800,000,000 to prioritise the development of two light rail lines. One would extend from the city centre to Māngere, connecting communities along the route, including employment areas such as the city centre, Onehunga and Auckland Airport. The other would extend from the city to the northwest, another rapidly growing area.
“This is unprecedented in New Zealand.” The NZ Transport Agency says it will create a modern, integrated transport system with seamless connections, bringing Auckland’s public transport network into line with international cities such as Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Vancouver and Portland.
Light rail details yet to emerge
Controversy is already under way
According to the NZ Transport Agency, further details of the city centre–Māngere line are being finalised and will be released later this year, including the route, costs and funding arrangements.
From 31 July this year, the relevant agencies began briefing the industry on the project’s processes and timetable. The NZ Transport Agency sees this as the first step towards encouraging participation and building support for the project.
However, two major transport groups—the Public Transport Users Association and NZ Transport 2050 (NZ Transport 2050)—have recently both declared that the Government’s plan for light rail to the airport is “completely wrong”.
Stuff reported that, at a public meeting on 9 October, the opposing groups proposed replacing light rail with faster heavy rail. The latter is expected to travel at 120 kilometres per hour, compared with an expected speed of less than 30 kilometres per hour for light rail.
The idea has been rejected by Transport Minister Phil Twyford, who has repeatedly opposed using heavy rail for the airport route. “You cannot run heavy rail through Auckland’s built-up urban areas.
According to the NZ Transport Agency, light rail is like a tram but has its own dedicated right of way, so it is unaffected by traffic speeds and congestion. It is likely to have fewer stops than buses, but greater capacity, more frequent services and more reliable operation. Light rail would create opportunities for housing and urban development, giving communities easier access to jobs, healthcare, education and recreation.
At the root of the controversy:
The problem the light rail proposal is meant to solve remains unclear
“The repeated debate over the form of rapid transit to Auckland Airport shows a lack of clarity about the roles of light and heavy rail—an issue that should have been resolved at the start of the planning process.”
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The public debate sparked by light rail has drawn comment from Infrastructure NZ, New Zealand’s most respected infrastructure organisation. Its chief executive, Stephen Selwood, says it is understandable that the public is confused about the purpose of the Dominion Road light rail project. People are also unclear about the possibility of connecting the airport by heavy rail.
He explains: “Normally, we would first ask what problem we need to solve—congestion, urban redevelopment or airport access? Only then can we decide what investment is needed. Yet the decision to proceed with light rail has already been made without a business case.
“Is the light rail project via Dominion Road intended to ease congestion, support urban development or improve airport access? Is it meant to address all three, or serve some other purpose?”
Examining each possibility, he says that if the aim is to improve airport access, the business case should show that light rail is better at achieving this than other options, including heavy rail.
If the aim is to ease congestion, the business case should demonstrate that once road users have made the investment, overall traffic volumes increase accordingly.
Similarly, if the light rail project is intended to support urban development, the business case should include a corresponding land-use plan showing the residential and commercial land opportunities associated with the project, including the necessary rezoning and development timelines.
He concludes that a thorough, transparent business case can clearly explain why the project should proceed, what it will cost, what benefits it will deliver, and how it should be funded and implemented. It would also address the public’s questions and help people understand why light rail is being built.