Subscribe to RSSPlan: Auckland’s Future Transport Needs
Auckland’s important vision documents were released this morning aiming to fulfil Mayor Len Brown’s vision of making it the world’s most liveable city.
Transport is a crucial part of this – with overwhelming support for the CBD Rail Link, a harbour tunnel that provides for public transport and an aim to increase non-car trips in the peak period from 23% to37% of all trips by 2040.
To cope with the expected population increase, the Auckland Plan proposes a quality, compact city with 75 per cent of new housing created within the current urban limits through higher-density living.
The Plans aim for
- a world-class city centre and waterfront with the city rail link providing for increased inner city residents and jobs
- a southern initiative to tackle high social need and develop the human and economic potential of the area with an emphasis on education, health and housing.
Statutory consultation on the draft Auckland Plan extends to 25 October after which hearings will take place before the plan is finalised in December. The three supporting plans are available for informal feedback, also to 25 October.
Extending the Waterfront heritage tramway on a state of the art light rail system from Wynyard Quarter to Britomart and beyond to St Heliers, a new island within Westhaven Marina and making the Waitemata Harbour a ‘blue highway’ with more ferries to coastal areas and islands are just some of the proposals put forward in the Draft Waterfront Plan also launched today for public consultation.
Auckland Plan transport targets:
- Increase public transport mode share for mechanised trips (PT and cars) into the city centre for the morning peak from 47% in 2011 to 69% by 2040
- Reduce road deaths from 61 (2007) to no more than 40 and serious injury from crashes from 483 (2007) to no more than 288 in 2040
- Reduce freight congestion in peak periods by 20% by 2040
- Increase the number of growth centres with quality transit network or rapid transit network from 44% to 80% by 2040
Key transport Priorities are:
- Manage Auckland’s transport as a single system
- Integrate transport planning and investment with land use development
- Priorities and optimise investment across transport modes
- Implement new transport funding mechanisms
Pedestrian and light rail in Queen St
This is how our transport environment is envisaged after a decade of action:
- In 2014, a new all electric train fleet attracts 57,000 passengers a day or 14 million passenger trips a year
- In 2016 Waterview, the final major motorway gap is opened reducing pressure on SH1 and local roads
- The City rail Link is completed
- Auckland’s transport system has been managed as a “single system” long enough to optimise all major routes and give customers real time info on travel choices
- Ultra fast broadband make telecommuting possible
- More people cycle to work
- Aucklanders support this transformation of the transport system and funding improvements through a mixture of taxes, rates and user charges including charges “that influence behaviour and demand.”
Managing Auckland’s transport as a system system is a key feature.
This means using a one system approach to the planning and development of transport.
The principles of that include highways, arterial roads, freight and public transport; achieving the “appropriate balance” between movement and place, considering capacity (accommodating movement of every kind safely) and character (role of road/ street in the urban setting and type of buildings/ landscape); ensure that long term land use and activities drive long-term transport functionality; ensure existing and proposed transport investment is used optimally; take advantage of all opportunities for transport to assist in place shaping.
Quay St
On the City Rail Link it is noted that there was overhwlming support for this and it is the “foremost transformational project in the first decade.”
It is argued it creates the most significant place shaping opportunity by increasing frequencies over the whole network. The effect more than doubles the number of people within 30 minutes travel from the future Newton station. Travel times to and from the city centre by rail will be dramatically reduced and this will drive new commercial and residential developments.
Improvements to travel times in the CBD would be:
On the funding problem, the plan says Auckland Council with the Government will develop a business case and above ground land use plan to support the funding and implementation.
There will be an integrated approach involving the Auckland City Centre masterplan, waterfront masterplan and a multi-modal transport strategy.
It will include new stations, expanding Britomart, development opportunities especially on the western line, intensification along rail corridors, cross-city bus feeder services and additional park and ride facilities.
The Plan says Auckand will need an additional harbour crossing around 2030.
Submissions to Auckland Unleashed show that tunnels are the preferred option for Aucklands on the alignment from Esmonde/Onerwa Rds to the Wynyard Quarter emerging around Wellington St.
This alignment will future proof suburban rail for a Gaunt St station and see the removal of the Victoria Park viaduct completely when the additional crossing opens.
It would have dedicated public transport and require significant investment over and above traditional funding. “New revenue tools will be needed to fund it.”
How Auckland will look by 2040
Plans for Auckland’s Waterfront
What the Plan says about Transport
Taming Auckland’s landscape - what the Plan says
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23 Comments
It will be interesting to see the governments official response to this, will they keep ignoring the cities wishes or finally get on board?
Yes, waiting for Joycee and Snonkey’s positive response.
Already out. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10752980
“Mr Key was not entirely convinced of the merits of the rail loop, saying consultants told the Government it would not get many people out of cars, rather it would take people out of buses into trains.”
What a croc, trains journeys are going to be halved in some cases, that sure is going to get people out of cars aswell as buses. Does he think that people are born into using a singular form of transport, private or public. People will switch if there’s a fast service and thousands of more vehicles on the road.
Nick - does this half train trip times? my read is they’re comparing current bus based to future rail? eg bus from Newmarket to Aotea vs future train
“Prime Minister John Key believes Auckland’s rail inner-city loop will happen - but not anytime soon.”
In a perfect world the opposition and public would look and analyse the government’s above response and if they decided together that the rail loop will be built soon rather then but not anytime soon - the government would be thrown out come November 26.
Now that my wishful thinking is over its back to reality: back up the printer at work for 30 mins printing this bememoth, read it, get my head around it then continuing working on my submission.
[Whinging won't get me far and they could totally ignore my submission - but least I made the effort in participating in democracy and make the submission on how I like to see "my" Auckland]
Oh ok, gotcha.
I’m unaware of where or how to dw the plan, I’d like to see what they are doing for Pukekohe.
any help anyone?
Carl
It’s here -over 200 pages long.
http://www.theaucklandplan.govt.nz/
Auckland Council could establish a cap and trade system licensing and limiting the total number of carpark spaces in the CBD. Then use the profits to build the link and future improvements.
May be it is time for Auckland to form it’s own government.
THe only way Auckland iis going to be heard is for National to lose resoundingly in Auckland.
National needs to realize that Auckand wants a balanced transport system that includes roads, rail, buses and water transport.
Auckland already has its own form of governance and its called the super city council.
Anyway, the plan looks good, full of idealistic wishes and wants that no doubt will have to be paid by me with yearly rates increases - oh the joy.
@Carl, apparently Pukekohe is one of eight areas prioritised for growth and development over the next 3 years.
Without reading the document, has there been any allowance for providing rail lines into areas not currently provided for such as the North Shore, Howick, Flat Bush etc?
Once again the same old comments are rolled out, I posted on a previous thread that I suspected work was going on behind the scenes with the Government and The Council, and that an announcement was pending. I suspect this is still the case. Listening to Paul Henry interview Mayor Len this afternoon, it was very clear that the Government and the Council are having discussions and an announcement is pending.
Both sides have softened their stance, and it wouldn’t surprise me if something came out as part of the election campaign.
And for those who want National to lose heavily in Auckland, be careful what you wish for, as the other side, didn’t do too much for Auckland in the 9 years they had a chance.
Has anyone thought of having a monorail above the ground from Queen St to Eden Station? This will be a cheaper alternative to underground loop.
But then where does it go after that. The tunnel is proposed for two reasons.
1. To increase Britomart’s capacity to service trains.
2. To reduce the distance that western line trains have to travel to access the CBD.
A monorail would not achieve this.
@ejtma2003 Labour did nothing for 6 years, but then finally got the ball rolling on DART and electrification. Saying they did nothing is hyperbole.
@james b - I didn’t say they did nothing if you took the time to read what I wrote.
Yes they started some improvements, but didn’t do other things they could have done. It amuses me that people see labour as the panacea, like the skynet law, which they bought in, and then say they will appeal if they get elected. The bottom line is that with the promises they have already made, I very much doubt that any funding will be available for any of Mayor Len’s projects, as they won’t have the cash to do so. The reality is insolvent governments worldwide, who spend more than they earn, will shortly find the cash has dried up. Levying more tax is not sustainable, as we are already one of the highest taxed countries in the world.
I completely support Mayor Len’s projects, and the ways he wants to fund them, he has come up with some good idea’s and although I drive to work everyday, I believe a good train system is critical to prosperity in Auckland, and as such it must be a partnership between Central Government, local government and the users. (Both road and Public transport)
@ejtma2003. I agree with you above comment there and yip we can’t “afford” more taxes per se - so we have to be creative in funding large scale projects.
While I am busy with my submission about the Auckland Plan this nagging thing has been on my mind since 2006 - The Eastern Highway. Agree or disagree with it is up to you, but in my honest opinion it should of been built although modified and I still believe it should be built.
Not as a 8 lane highway that got Banks turfed out, but as a 4 lane expressway (80km/h) completed with HOV lanes and a walk/cycleway as well as any fringe space left as a green space to act as a buffer.
Why the Eastern Highway - because I hold the belief that it would connect Tamaki better to the rest of the city and region (better connectivity to jobs and housing) and give the trucking fleet a direct route to the port skipping State Highway One from Mt Wellington to Grafton Gully (and save them going up that cursed hill). So efficiency gains you could say as even I acknowledge (despite being a train fan) roading is part of the INTERGRATED package and the Eastern Highway is part of it.
If Wellington is going to ignore us we may have to get some representation at a higher level…
Bring on the “Auckland Party”!
Those who think National will toss Auckland a mangy bone are fooling themselves. National is still riding high, sadly, and there’s no “deal” in the offing. Pure hopeful speculation.
If National takes a serious pasting in Auckland (which they could well have in the offing - but NOT so seriously that they lose overall), then in 3 years, they might be willing to fund the CBD rail tunnel as an election bribe for their 3rd term. Now? No way Jose.
Ben, you’re kidding? Eastern Highway? Nightmare, there is nowhere for more cars in the CBD, not from additional Harbour crossings, not from any Eastern Highway. The only way to improve the driving experience in Ak, and especially on local roads, is to stop building more roads and to build the complementary off road transit that we lack. More roads= more cars; and actual rail network= more space for driving.
The City Centre Master Plan will cap the max level of cars to the CBD at current levels. What the heck would we need an eastern highway for? That corridor should get a third rail track and a walk and cycleway.
Thankfully, everyone who actually knows how things work will forget any serious attempt to resurrect that idea - it truncated one Mayor already, and I am happy for it to do so again to anyone so foolish. Let the SUV-worshipping Orakei & Remuera folks fight against car traffic once again, I’d love to see it again.