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Governing Body
16 December
2021
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Auckland
Light Rail
File No.: CP2021/19208
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To
consider Auckland Council’s involvement in any next steps on the Auckland
Light Rail project.
Whakarāpopototanga matua
Executive summary
2. The
Planning Committee has previously considered the Auckland Light Rail project at
its 2 September 2021 meeting. At that time the committee considered the
work of the Establishment Unit thus far. This paper is being considered
by Governing Body instead of Planning Committee due to the expected timing of
Cabinet decisions and announcements.
3. The
Planning Committee made a number of resolutions which at the date of this
report are still held in confidence (PLA/2021/110) until Cabinet has publicly
released its decision on the Indicative Business Case for the Light Rail
project, including route, mode and delivery entity.
4. Since
the meeting on 2 September 2021 the Independent Chair of the Establishment Unit
has provided the sponsors of the Project (Ministers of Transport and Finance,
Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Auckland) with his report dated 2 October 2021.
That report is attached as Attachment A. The report
summarises the key findings and insights from the Establishment Phase of City
Centre to Māngere rapid transit project (the Project).
5. The report identifies three options:
· Light
metro (tunnelled light rail)
· Light
rail (surface/road-running light rail)
· Tunnelled
light rail (a hybrid of the other two options being partially tunnelled and partially
surface/road-running light rail)
6. The
tunnelled light rail was the preferred option of the Establishment Unit.
7. Council
staff understand that Cabinet has considered the recommendations for the route
and mode for Auckland Light Rail based on advice from officials at the Ministry
of Transport, Treasury, and informed by the report from the Independent Chair
of the Establishment Unit.
8. The
Auckland Light Rail project, whatever the option chosen, will be the largest
and most complex infrastructure project undertaken in New Zealand. It will be a
significant part of Auckland’s rapid transit network and will be the
catalyst for similar lines to the north-west and the north (including the
Additional Waitemata Harbour Crossing). All three shortlisted options can
be future-proofed to integrate with this wider future network.
9. This
investment in Auckland’s rapid transit network is part of the quality,
compact city approach enabled through the Auckland Unitary Plan –
focussing intensification and investment around centres and transport nodes to
achieve efficient use of infrastructure, economies of scale and thriving communities
with access to homes, jobs, businesses and recreation.
10. Importantly,
this is more than a transport project, it will transform the urban environment
along its path through the provision of housing, employment, business and
recreation. There will need to be specific interventions from the
Government and council to achieve the kind of intensification and urban
transformation needed to support the light rail investment.
11. To that end, staff from council, Ministry of Transport and Treasury
have been in discussions about furthering a partnering approach for the
delivery of the project where council and the Crown are sponsors, to be
continued once the Cabinet announcements have been made.
12. The
Government has indicated that they will be the primary funder of the project,
though the Establishment Unit has noted that other funding tools may be
required. Council has not made any provision to fund light rail infrastructure,
and is not in a position to do so. It can however support housing development around
the light rail stations and the route and provide other assistance.
13. Given the expected announcement of Cabinet’s decision on
Auckland Light Rail, sometime in early 2022, this report recommends that the
Mayor and Deputy Mayor be authorised to respond to welcome and support a
decision to proceed with investment in light rail and that the committee commit
to partnering with Government in the future phases of this project.
Ngā tūtohunga
Recommendation/s
That the Governing Body:
a) authorise
the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to welcome a Cabinet decision to invest in Auckland
Light Rail and support its investment in Auckland’s infrastructure
b) commit
to partnering with government on the Auckland Light Rail Project, acknowledging the government’s commitment to do so
c) note the importance of City Centre to Mangere Light Rail project as
part of a Rapid Transit Network for Auckland, including connections with future
lines to the North Shore and North West and integration with the Airport to
Botany busway project.
Ngā tāpirihanga
Attachments
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No.
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Title
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Page
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a⇩
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Establishment Unit Chair's report October 2021
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7
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Ngā kaihaina
Signatories
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Author
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Vanessa Blakelock - Executive Officer - Chief Planning
Office
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Authorisers
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Megan Tyler - Chief of Strategy
Jim Stabback - Chief Executive
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