Auckland Light Rail Work Accelerates With New Company

Development of a world class light rail system in Auckland has cleared an important commercial and legal hurdle.

Auckland Light Rail Ltd (ALR Ltd) has now been established as a Crown Entity Company to deliver what will become New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure project and completely change the way Aucklanders can travel around their city.

ALR Ltd is an independent stand-alone company, with its own board, replacing the Auckland Light Rail Unit.

Dame Fran Wilde, who was brought on to lead the Board in May this year, remains Chair. Former Project Director, Tommy Parker, becomes ALR Ltd’s Chief Executive.

One of the new board’s first duties was to approve the Project Funding and Finance Agreement (PPFA) which sets out the objectives, terms and conditions which ALR Ltd is expected to progress the project, as well confirming Crown funding for this phase.

“Our operational changes are further evidence that we’re pressing hard on the accelerator to deliver an exciting and game changing project that will mean so much to Auckland and its growth and prosperity,” Dame Fran says.

ALR Ltd’s establishment coincides with the recent announcement of a team of preferred bidders made up of New Zealand and international experts to work with ALR Ltd on the planning and design phase of the 24-kilometre-long light rail system.

“This is an important step. New Zealand’s never tackled a project on this scale before and it’s great to now have the experts we need on board, including engineers, infrastructure planners and designers, station architects and others skilled in developing light rail from scratch.”

“They’re working on developing ALR’s route and the proposed locations of up to 18 stations, looking at how the system will be built, and getting ready the consents needed for construction,” Mr Parker says.

Further information: https://www.lightrail.co.nz/

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