Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has written to the acting chairperson of Auckland Transport (AT), Wayne Donnelly setting out his initial expectations for the Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) which most impacts Aucklanders’ everyday lives and about which Aucklanders most strongly demand change.

Based on messages from Aucklanders and members of the new Governing Body and Independent Māori Statutory Board, Mr Brown said he seeks a complete change in approach at AT.

“You appear to have been focussed on changing how Aucklanders live, using transport policy and services as a tool,” he wrote. “Instead, AT must seek to deeply understand how Aucklanders actually live now, how they want to live in the future, and deliver transport services that support those aspirations. Aucklanders do not always have the choice of using an e-bike, a bus or even a train but rely on the roading and carparking networks to make their life functional.”

Mr Brown said AT needs to exercise better judgement and listen to and follow the wishes of all Aucklanders and local communities “not just those who participate in formal consultation processes”.

“AT must understand the families who are struggling to move around the region: pick-up their children, do the groceries, get home safely after-dark, and juggle other commitments. You must understand the local businesses who rely on transport connections and their needs now and in the future. And you must recognise that the transport network materially impacts Aucklanders’ safety – especially at night, for women, for young people, the elderly and for shift workers.”

He said Local Boards must be far more closely involved in decisions about the design and delivery of smaller-scale capital projects in their area and the provision of on-street and off-street parking. Unless there were overwhelming reasons otherwise, AT should reflect the priorities of local communities in its approach to such projects and decisions.

Mr Brown also asked AT to work with the Council, Waka Kotahi and all Aucklanders to clarify and communicate the rules governing the use of footpaths, cycle lanes, bus lanes and roads by pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters, skateboarders and other users. For safety reasons, he wants the initiative underway before the new school year and – if possible – prior to Christmas and the summer holidays.

He indicated he would shortly be launching a “Clean Up Auckland” programme to get rid of unnecessary road cones and road closures. This would involve not just AT but other public- and private-sector organisations.

The full text of Mr Brown’s letter is as follows:

Dear Wayne

Fixing Auckland Transport’s System

Thank you for the work Auckland Transport (AT) does to deliver transport services to Aucklanders, and to oversee our region’s complex and diverse transport network. AT does a good job in some areas and your work impacts our lives every day.

I have been elected as Mayor with a mandate for change. It will not surprise you that in over 300 campaign events, by far the most consistent and strongest message I heard from the people of Auckland was the need to lead a change in approach at AT and fix our transport network. I promised to do so. I have heard the same messages from members of the new Governing Body and the Independent Māori Statutory Board.

Much work lies ahead for the council family to gain the trust and confidence of Aucklanders when it comes to transport policy and services, and the management of upgrades and major projects.

Aucklanders expect their Council to exercise greater democratic control and oversight of AT’s transport functions. In the coming months, we will engage with you on the formal Statement of Intent process, to reposition AT strategically.

For now, this letter sets out my expectations as Mayor about how you will respond to the message that Aucklanders delivered at the election.

A change in approach

I seek a complete change in approach at AT. You appear to have been focussed on changing how Aucklanders live, using transport policy and services as a tool. Instead, AT must seek to deeply understand how Aucklanders actually live now, how they want to live in the future, and deliver transport services that support those aspirations.

AT needs to exercise better judgement, as well as listen to and follow the wishes of local communities. That includes understanding that AT’s decisions impact the lives of people every day. AT must understand the families who are struggling to move around the region: pick-up their children, do the groceries, get home safely after-dark, and juggle other commitments. You must understand the local businesses who rely on transport connections and their needs now and in the future. And you must recognise that the transport network materially impacts Aucklanders’ safety – especially at night, for women, for young people, the elderly and for shift workers.

Aucklanders do not always have the choice of using an e-bike, a bus or even a train but rely on the roading and carparking networks to make their life functional.

By focussing on truly understanding how all Aucklanders want to live and the transport services they want to support those aspirations – not just those who participate in formal consultation processes – and then exercising good judgment, AT can make Aucklanders’ lives better and easier. Through decisions that do not reflect the wishes of local communities, you have been making them worse.

I expect it will be necessary to address these matters through the Letter of Expectations and Statement of Corporate Intent process.

Immediate Priorities

In the immediate term, I request that the Council and AT work together on the following priorities:

a) Demonstrate to me, the new Governing Body, the Independent Māori Statutory Board and the public that AT accepts the need to far more deeply understand how Aucklanders live now and how they want to live in the future, and that your role is to deliver transport services today and in the future to support those aspirations.

b) Clean up Auckland’s roads, by getting rid of unnecessary road cones and lane closures. I expect AT to take full account of the social and economic disruption of its traffic management approach, which should be risk-based and proportionate. Much stronger coordination, and scrutiny, is needed when it comes to the timing of roadworks. This will require working with utility providers including in the private sector, and I will be writing to you separately about this shortly.

c) Ensure local boards are far more closely involved in decisions about the design and delivery of smaller-scale capital projects in their area and the provision of on-street and off-street parking. Unless there are overwhelming reasons otherwise, you should reflect the priorities of local communities in your approach to such projects and decisions.

d) Focus first on getting better performance out of the existing transport network, before committing to major new infrastructure projects, through:

i. Much greater use of IT to improve traffic flows.

ii. Fixing problematic segments of a road, before looking to construct entire new roads. Mill Road is an example of where this approach should be deployed, in collaboration with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

iii. Prioritising road safety investment where it will deliver the greatest reduction in deaths and serious injury. Only road safety projects with a high Benefit Cost Ratio should proceed.

e) Cease the sale of council-owned car-parking buildings, with any such plans referred to the Governing Body or its committees.

f) Greater certainty and control around the cycling programme:

i. As a pre-condition for ongoing cycle lane investment, work with Council, Waka Kotahi and all Aucklanders to clarify and communicate the rules governing the use of footpaths, cycle lanes, bus lanes and roads by pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters, skateboards etc. For safety reasons, this initiative should begin, if possible, prior to Christmas, the summer holidays and the start of the new school year.

ii. Invest in cycle lanes only where the per-kilometre construction cost is on par with costs in other jurisdictions, nationally and internationally.

iii. Once again, understand and address the social and economic disruption of road reorganisation, including the cost of eliminating of kerbside town centre parking and vehicle pickup /delivery points.

I look forward to working with AT on these immediate priorities and on the change to your overall strategic direction over the coming years.

Yours sincerely

Wayne Brown

Mayor of Auckland

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