Budget 2018: 'No surprises' for transport in Auckland

Thursday, 17 May 2018

The government's big infrastructure spend in Auckland will continue.

A huge announcement in April has meant there was nothing further for Auckland commuters in the 2018 Budget.

The budget includes $234 billion in funding for the Auckland City Rail Link and $50 million for metro rail projects in Wellington.

The Government announced in April it would put $16.3b over 10 years from a National Land Transport Fund, and an additional $1.4b, into the City Rail Link as part of an agreement to fund the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP).

Greater Auckland editor Matt Lowrie said the government announcement in April had left 'no surprises' for Auckland commuters.

Most of the major transport budget announcements were made in April.

* Auckland Council, Government commit $28b towards Auckland transportation infrastructure

* Political scrap breaks out over $1 billion Auckland road project

* Auckland Council, Government to announce 10-year plan to solve Auckland transport woes

* Auckland public transport about to get greener

An $8.4b rapid transit network, including light rail out to the airport, was the biggest ticket item on the list.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the Government's plans represented the biggest ever single increase in funding for the region's transport infrastructure.

'Enabling people to get out of their cars and into rapid, reliable, affordable public transport is critical to unclogging our roads, and is necessary to tackle the more than $1.3 billion in productivity losses to New Zealand caused by Auckland’s gridlock.'

Roading upgrades were also announced in April and included $3.8b over 10 years for strategic and local roads in Auckland.

Two long-awaited roading projects – Penlink in the north and Mill Rd in the south – were also given the go-ahead in the announcement.