AUCKLAND REGION MAYORAL FORUM

News release 2 March 2001

Chair of the Auckland Region Mayoral Forum

Mayors of region welcome Transfund funding announcement

The mayors of Auckland welcome Transfund’s commitment to the Auckland regional agreement on rail corridors with Tranz Rail Ltd as a significant step forward, said Chris Fletcher, chair of the Auckland Region Mayoral Forum.

This follows the announcement this afternoon that the Transfund board has agreed in principle to grant $22 million towards the purchase of the Auckland regional rail network.

“Today’s decision is very important and a positive step towards securing the rail corridors. This is the first funding acknowledgement that recognises of the national significance of this project. Naturally we would have liked them to provide the full amount of our application; we recognise however the statutory limitations that the current funding criteria places on Transfund for public transport,” said Mrs Fletcher.

“The mayors of Auckland are committed to funding the deal through Transfund and Infrastructure Auckland. Infrastructure Auckland has already allocated $30m towards acquisition of the network and we have been working with them to see how the balance of the deal can be funded. We will submit an application for the remainder of the funds shortly,” said Mrs Fletcher.

The region has an agreement with Tranz Rail to buy the tracks, stations and other infrastructure for the Auckland rail network, from Pukekohe in the south to Swanson in the west, and to take over the lease for that network. Auckland, Waitakere, Manukau City Councils, and Papakura and Franklin District Councils jointly applied to Transfund for $45m to part-fund the deal.

“There is still a very long way to go but this is a major commitment on funding and we are all very pleased about that,” she said.

ENDS

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