Updated plan to address Auckland’s growth
22 August 2017
NZ Government: Transport Minister Simon
Bridges has released a joint report by the Government and
Auckland
Council, which updates work undertaken as part of the Auckland
Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) to understand the required level
of transport investment needed in Auckland over the next decade.
“ATAP is the strategic plan for Auckland’s transport infrastructure
investment, policies and services to be delivered over the next
three decades.
“ATAP was an important milestone for the Government and Auckland
Council in agreeing an approach to the long term development of
Auckland’s
transport system. However, we know that Auckland’s recent
and projected population growth is higher than originally forecast,”
Mr Bridges says.
“ATAP agencies were asked to provide an update of how much
additional funding may be required in the first decade to meet the
challenges of growth. The update identifies an additional $1.9
billion of transport investment will be needed over the ten year
period.
“This is $1.1 billion less than the amount previously identified by
Auckland Council,” Mr Bridges says.
The total funding required for the decade is estimated to be $25.9
billion, of which $20 billion has already been committed to by
central Government ($13 billion) and Auckland Council ($7 billion).
“That leaves about $5.9 billion to be sourced from the Government,
Council and the private sector over the next ten year period,” Mr
Bridges says.
“The report identifies faster growth is now expected to occur in
North and South Auckland requiring some transport investment to be
brought forward to support the housing development in these areas.
We will also need to bring forward transport investment to
accommodate additional public transport demand.”
Key initiatives from the first decade package that would be brought
forward into the next three years with this extra funding include:
-
Advancing development of the “next generation” of State highway projects, including the SH16/SH18 interchange, Southern Motorway widening between Papakura and Drury, improved Eastern Airport Access (SH20B) and the Northwestern Busway.
-
Accelerating Auckland Transport’s programme, targeting high priority and well developed investments including the Mill Road, AMETI Eastern Busway and associated Reeves Road flyover, the earlier purchase of new electric trains, along with earlier completion of key city centre bus lanes and interchanges.
-
Completing approximately $250 million of rail network infrastructure upgrades to cater for ongoing rapid growth in rail use and increasing freight volumes, including an additional track from Westfield to Wiri and a variety of key network resilience and performance upgrades.
“Current and committed investments
include $3.4 billion for the City Rail Link, $1.85 billion for the
East-West Link, and up to $1 billion in upgrades to the Northern and
Southern motorway corridors,” Mr Bridges says.
“This is a very useful update of the agreed ATAP programme. I look
forward to continuing to work with the Mayor of Auckland on addressing
the remaining funding required for the first decade.”
--ENDS--
Source: New Zealand Government - www.beehive.govt.nz
Contact: N/A
External Links: N/A
Recent news by: NZ Government