No Open Cheque Book For Auckland Rail

This week’s NZ Transport Intelligence Briefing http://www.nztransport-logistics.co.nz reports the Govt means business on Auckland transport issues. It has decided a new transport agency will serve the Super City.

In creating the new agency, the Govt has brushed off criticism from Auckland Regional Council Chairman Mike Lee, who sees a lack or progress in getting to grips with Auckland’s rail electrification programme.

The ARC is also suggesting the number of trains it wants for the project may be scaled back as a cost cutting measure

Transport Minister Joyce has slapped Lee down, calling his claims the Govt might not pay for the city’s rail electrification “paranoia.”

But what Joyce has said, and many in the transport and infrastructure sector will applaud him for it, is the Auckland electrification project will not be allowed to run over budget.

Joyce says he can see hundreds of millions of potential cost overruns in the project, and these will be stopped. Auckland can have its electric train set, but the pile of money to pay for it is finite.

Responsibility for Auckland’s roading as well as buses, rail and ferries under the Super City will be taken over by the Auckland Transport Agency (ATA).

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the Govt is committed to spending $500m on the city’s rail electrification projects but cost over-runs are not an option.

He says officials have identified up to $200m of potential cost over-run in the $1.6bn project, which is still on the drawing board.

He rejects Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee’s suggestions the Govt might not honour its promise to pay for electrification.

Lee has hit back, saying Auckland commuters need electric trains not another bureaucracy with a fancy name. We do not need more bureaucratic deck chair shuffling.

The ATA will be a significant division of the new Auckland Council, which will appoint its directors, who will include two city councillors.

Joyce says the agency will be "a really significant part" of the Super City Auckland Council, controlling about $1bn of spending. The Govt and local authorities now spend about $1.5bn on Auckland transport.

It’s clear Steven Joyce, who is one of the stand-outs in John Key’s Cabinet, intends transport policy to be centrally planned and locally delivered.

When Govt money is to be used, Joyce wants to know it will be used efficiently.

But there is still much to do. Local bodies still have too much say over transport issues of national importance.

It is ludicrous the Govt can say it will allow heavier, more productive trucks on the roads, only for local authorities to deny them permission to use roads in their regions.

Joyce has made a good start, but there’s still a long way to go.

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