Calls renewed for rail line linking Auckland city centre to airport

Wednesday, 3 October 2018

Proposed light rail on Dominion Rd would carry up to 11,000 people per hour.

Fresh calls have been made to have a train service, rather than trams, running between central Auckland and the airport.

Two transport groups - the Public Transport Users Association and NZ Transport 2050 - say the Government's plans for light rail to the airport have it 'all wrong'.

The groups have called a public meeting on October 9 to highlight an alternative transport strategy they've dubbed Straight To Airport Rapid Trains (START).

But Transport Minister Phil Twyford is sticking to his guns, saying 'you couldn't run a heavy rail line through the middle of the Auckland isthmus'.

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At a rail crossing safety demonstration in West Auckland on Wednesday, Twyford said the Government selected trams, or light rail, because it followed international best practice.

Miller said trams are not the answer to Auckland traffic woes.

'It offers very high quality rapid transit, and public transport for communities.

'It's also a magnet for investors and investment and redevelopment.'

NZ Transport 2050's Paul Miller said light rail is slow and wouldn't take any trucks off the road.

He said there was investment in light rail in Australia, including Sydney, Canberra, the Gold Coast, New Castle and Melbourne, as well as 'hundreds' of cities around the world.

'It creates beautiful pedestrian-friendly, safe and quiet street scapes that creates amazing urban neighbourhoods for people to work and live in.

'It's more efficient than bus rapid transit, and it's more versatile than heavier rail. You couldn't run a heavy rail line through the middle of the Auckland isthmus - which is a built up urban area.'

He said light rail on Dominion Rd would carry 11,000 people per hour. 'That's as much as a four-lane motorway.'

But NZ Transport 2050 chair Paul Miller said light rail was a bad idea.

'The Government and Auckland Council have been sold a lemon,' Miller said.

'[Light rail] does not solve the congestion problem, wastes the billions we have spent on trains, will cause significant issues for those living on Dominion Rd and won't remove a single truck from the roads trying to reach the expansive airport logistics and surrounding manufacturing zones.'

He said the meeting would discuss options around building a modern, fast train linking the airport to every single Auckland railway station and south to Hamilton and Tauranga.

'We propose that existing heavy rail routes are used to the airport and the previously recommended heavy rail connection from Wiri linking to the existing heavy rail infrastructure be used.

'We want to future transport solutions that are fit for purpose for Auckland future and avoid previous scenarios like the four lane harbour bridge, the two track railway line at Britomart station and the past removal of Auckland previous tram system.'

He said it will allow for direct trains from the new City Rail Link to the airport quickly, not 'trundling' slowly down congested city streets on a light rail tram.

'The Minister of Transport, Phil Twyford, needs to be open minded on the airport congestion issues before he commits taxpayers to fund one of the slowest tram/light-rail links in the world to Auckland airport.'

*The public meeting will be held October 9, 7pm, at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall, 487 Dominion Road.