Auckland light rail: Tunnelling picked as preferred option for transit to airport

Thursday, 28 October 2021

Public Consultation on Auckland's Light Rail scheme will initially be to listen.

A preferred version of Auckland’s light rail features extensive tunnelling out from the city’s centre and has a price tag of more than $14 billion.

Tunnelled light rail is one of the three short-listed options being considered by the Government for rapid transport out to Auckland’s airport.

The others include surface-level light rail down Dominion Road or a light metro, a rail-based version which is either elevated or underground, via Sandringham Road.

The partially-covered option would travel underground from Wynyard Quarter to Mt Roskill, where it would then exit to the surface and continue along at street level to the airport, travelling around 22km.

ARL has picked tunnelled light rail as its preferred option for rapid transit to Auckland's airport.

* Auckland light rail: Trackless trams, rapid buses 'not right' for CBD to Māngere route

* Light rail: the hard part is done, now get ready for the hard part

* Auckland Light Rail: New Minister committed but neutral on type of system

A concept image of surface level light rail.

Auckland Light Rail (ARL) establishment board members picked this version because it provided the “greatest level of benefit”, the least disruption and the best opportunities for “future network integration”.

Transport Minister Michael Wood said all options will be considered.

“The exact route of the Tunnelled Light Rail option remains flexible and so the final route through the central isthmus (including the length of tunnelling) can be explored with the community during the next project phase,” the ARL’s independent chair’s report said.

While surface light rail had the “lowest cost and a credible investment”, it delivered fewer benefits than the other options and could “restrict long term integration potential,” the report said.

Another advantage was that tunnelled light rail did not need to follow the road, so the actual route and station locations would be developed in the detailed planning phase, ARL said.

The preferred option was estimated to cost $14.6b, significantly more than light rails’ $9b, but slightly less than the light metro option at $16.3b.

“Whilst the economic analysis slightly favours the Light Metro option, there is a strong economic case for the Tunnelled Light Rail option which can be delivered for a lower cost (compared to the Light Metro option).”

Transport Minister Michael Wood said all options will be considered and Cabinet will consider which option to proceed with later this year.

“We took a manifesto commitment to the election to get on with Auckland light rail, and it’ll help Auckland’s economic recovery by supporting up to 16,000 jobs.”

The business case drew a “clear conclusion” that Auckland light rail was a “necessary investment” to reduce congestion and further future-proof the city, Wood said.

“It is a critical piece of infrastructure to support more housing, to give people real transport choices, and to build a linked up transport network for Auckland,” he said.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff said the rapid transit corridor would enable the housing and job growth the “city needs”.

This area would need to cater for an additional 66,000 homes, housing nearly a quarter of Auckland’s population growth over the next 30 years, he said.

“It already provides a quarter of Auckland’s jobs, connecting the two biggest employment hubs in the city.”

Detailed planning and design work was expected to start in early 2022 and the project would be delivered as a partnership between the Government, Auckland Council and Mana Whenua.