AA: Will Auckland's transport plans reduce congestion?

Sunday, 21 July 2019

The growing number of vehicles on Auckland's roads could overwhelm anti-congestion efforts, the AA says (video first published July 2019).

The Automobile Association fears Auckland's traffic congestion will become worse than forecast, and is calling for more road-building sooner, along with higher density housing on the city's fringes.

An AA report said while congestion held steady last year, the forecast growth in population and the number of vehicles on roads, could outstrip the rate of transport projects being delivered by the council and government.

The motoring organisation said the Ministry of Transport forecast congestion to flat-line over the next decade, but that question marks over funding of the 10-year transport programme put that at risk.

The AA fears progress on tackling congestion is too slow.

'Aucklanders have been promised so much and once again it looks like they're going to get burnt,' said Barney Irvine, AA's principal advisor.

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AA's annual Auckland Congestion Report used Google travel time data to suggest the average motorway user lost 85 hours to congestion last year, compared with 79 the year before.

It said with Auckland's population forecast to grow by 300,000, with 250,000 more vehicles over the next decade, the rate of progress on proposed transport projects meant in its view the chances of holding congestion at current levels seemed impossible.

The association called for annual congestion targets to be set, motorway widening and accelerated road building in greenfield areas, as well as congestion pricing and higher housing density in high-growth outer suburbs.

Transport advocates Greater Auckland agreed that funding question marks needed resolving if the 10-year programme was to be completed on time.

However it disagreed with the notion of widening motorways, and said that couldn't be easily or cheaply done.

'Worse, this just repeats the failed transport policy from the last 60 years,' said Matt Lowrie, an editor for the Greater Auckland website.

Lowrie said encouraging growth on the fringes where there was poor public transport would only worsen congestion, but agreed with higher housing density.

'Even more so, this needs to happen in inner suburbs where generally decent PT options already exist and where it's more practical or feasible for active mode options,' Lowrie told Stuff.

Auckland Transport was not ready to concede congestion's trajectory was yet a problem.

'The local roading network performance is currently stable with the freight network also performing better than expected,' said Shane Ellison, AT's chief executive.

Ellison pointed to the milestone reached of 100 million public transport trips in a 12-month period, with patronage rising annually by nearly 9 per cent.

'Giving people good quality transport choice is key to helping manage congestion,' he said.

The Government agency NZTA delayed unveiling its funding plans for Auckland in May, and is now working with Auckland Council on how to fund the longer-term transport programme through years where the government's coffers might be under pressure.

The call by the AA for more and faster action is a prelude to a forum it is co-hosting in Auckland on Monday evening, where three mayoral candidates will be quizzed on their plans for transport.