Auckland Transport Has a Moment

Written by Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

AT Asks For Money

 

FOR THE WRONG PROJECT…

 

Yesterday I had mentioned my presentation and the results from that presentation to Auckland Transport yesterday:

Returned from RPTP Panel

FIRST OF ALL: A THANK YOU TO COUNCILLOR MIKE LEE AND THE OTHER PANEL MEMBERS FOR TAKING TIME IN LISTENING TO MY PRESENTATION

I have arrived back from my presentation to the Auckland Transport Regional Public Transport Plan hearings panel this afternoon. I am pleased to say that the full ten minutes plus two extra ( ;) ) were productive and a dialogue entered on:

  • the relocation of Te Mahia and Takanini Stations to Spartan Road and Walters Road (Technically Glenora Road but for now Walters Road has stuck as the rallying name)
  • The Family Pass not being easily accessible

The presentation was designed in such a way that hyperlinks (in blue) were placed into the paper copies that allow the panel members or their assistants to look up ‘extended information’ (which is stored in this blog) on points I was making (the idea of the presentation was to sum up the main points and entered into dialogue – mission accomplished).

The presentation can be seen here:

…

You can see the rest of the post through clicking the link in blue above

 

So you could safely gather that I was pleased with progress being (slowly) made in advancing Auckland’s public transport system (as for private transport I am keeping an eye on the Redoubt Road-Mill Road Corridor) knowing the financial restraints AT currently faces. It is also why yesterday in my presentation I outlined some budget reshuffling on capital projects to fit in the top three projects outlined in my presentation.

While literally as I was giving the presentation yesterday to AT, someone else from AT was at the Auckland Council Strategy and Finance Committee (this is the committee that sets and approves all revenue and expenditure by Auckland Council and the Council Control Organisations (CCOs)) asking for a budgetary reshuffle to fast track the Manukau Line. Now if you thought it was AT asking for $3.6 million to be reallocated for the Manukau Rail South Link – I am sorry folks but that would have been too simple. Thanks to an alert from Councillor George Wood who was at the committee I noticed THIS is what AT was trying to do in asking for the $3.6m being reallocated for the Manukau Line (check page 100 of the agenda):

 

From the Auckland Council Strategy and Finance Committee – February 2013 Agenda – Page 100

Manukau Rail Link Double Track Connection

16. Auckland Transport is requesting approval to re-prioritise $2.6 million in the current year 2012/2013 and $1 million in 2013/2014 for construction of a double track connection between the northbound Manukau Rail Link and the main line at Wiri junction.
17. Construction of the existing northbound Manukau Rail Link (double track) was completed in 2012 with a single track connection to the double track main line.
18. Passenger rail services currently operate at 20–30 minute intervals. This work would allow the line to deliver 10 minute service frequencies in support of the Auckland Plan objective of doubling public transport trips to 140 million by 2022.

 

 

After the RPTP presentations, and listening to the: Manurewa, Papakura and Franklin Local Boards; I can safely say that South and Counties Auckland are jumping up and down wanting to get this Manukau SOUTH Link in sooner rather than later. They as I do hold the steadfast believe that building the Manukau South Link would open up the latent capacity in the Manukau Station (which has poor patronage as it stands now), open up a fast and efficient rail transit route  for those living south of Manukau wanting to come in to Manukau, increase the patronage to the Manukau Station as that is currently where the bulk of the people would be coming from (instead of the north), and in due time allow for a new loop service starting from Pukekohe to Manukau via the South Link, then via the Botany Line to rejoin the Eastern Line at either Panmure or Glen Innes.

I have also constantly written about the Manukau South Link here at BR:AKL with my SOUTH AUCKLAND GETS SHAFTED – YET AGAIN: Manukau to Papakura Direct Rail Link is Dead post being the main one that got brought to the attention of the Auckland Council Transport Committee and resulting in the current Business Case Study being written.

To serve as a further reminder; yesterday I was at pains explaining to the AT Hearings Panel on the flagging patronage at Manukau Station, how MIT (which is now going to be late opening) will do squat in getting the patronage up, and how basically pulling finger and getting the South Link built will reverse the flagging fortunes of the current Manukau Line and Station.

 

For heavens sake AT; the South Link opens up those south of Auckland an easy and efficient rapid transit link for South Auckland residents wanting to better themselves by going to MIT. The South Link will open MIT up to those who desperately need it – SOUTH AUCKLAND. By not building the South Link soon you are basically discriminating against those wanting to better themselves down South – not good for the Southern Initiative now – IS IT?

 

I’ll repost George’s Facebook comment that caught my attention to AT’s intentions:

George Wood
Auckland Council’s Strategy & Finance Cmtte refuses to support double tracking of link rail from Main Trunk to Manukau Train Station. $90 million price tag plus questions over the status of the MIT building left councillors very concerned. The request from Auckland Transport for the $3.6 million extra funding to put in an additional north facing line was rejected.
Photo: Auckland Council's Strategy & Finance Cmtte refuses to support double tracking of link rail from Main Trunk to Manukau Train Station. $90 million price tag ( for total project up to date which is twice the estimation) plus questions over the status of the MIT building left councillors very concerned. The request from Auckland Transport for the $3.6 million extra funding to put in an additional north facing line was rejected.</p> <p>Money is still being poured into this project with more construction down at platform level and two new flash escalators going in to bring people down from street level.
Photo: Auckland Council's Strategy & Finance Cmtte refuses to support double tracking of link rail from Main Trunk to Manukau Train Station. $90 million price tag (for work up to date) plus questions over the status of the MIT building left councillors very concerned. The request from Auckland Transport for the $3.6 million extra funding to put in an additional north facing line was rejected.
  • You, Millie Liang and Bev Chuang like this.
  • Ben Ross Wait what did the Strat and Finance Committee just do?
  • George Wood It has been left up to Auckland Transport to return to the Accountability and Performance committee and try and make out a case. Dick Quax was very vocal on this especially over the point that the costs have more than doubled already since the project was authorised by the former Manukau City Council.
  • Ben Ross If I read your first comment right George was Auckland Transport asking for “support” (money) on building the second rail link from Manukau to the North/Puhinui Station?
  • George Wood Yes, I never realised but they only put in a single track. They now want to double track this section in order to give the potential for 10 minute services from Manukau Train Station.
  • Ben Ross Ooops I could of told you THAT part there George. (Excuse my language) but FFS I just spent my afternoon down in Manukau in front of the AT – RPTP Hearings Panel trying to convince them to re-prioritise money for the South Link.

    I can tell you double tracking the North Link and moving services from the north to Manukau to every 10 minutes is going to do squat for Manukau Station Patronage at this point and time.

    AT would be better asking for that $3.6m to get cracking with the south link which WOULD drive patronage into Manukau up regardless if initially the Pukekohe to Manukau via the South Link Services started at every 20 minutes then move to 10 minutes in due time

    Groan – this does not make life easy George and it seems after a group of us busted a few literal nuts to try and get the South link built – AT go do the opposite…
  • Luke Christensen its just the junction that is single track
  • George Wood I couldn’t believe that they were still going in the direction of the north facing link either. There was no real supporting material and that is part of the reason councillors rejected the proposal.
  • Greg Mulholland Sadly the manukau rail link in my view was a complete waste of time and money, the airport bus which runs very frequently and is almost always empty could have diverted its route to stop at the puhinui station and picked passengers up to go to manukau or even easier re open the old wiri station and bus people there and back …far simpler solution and people would have got to the city centre not a 350m uncovered walk away from it….Rail is too expensive and is never going to be utilised in manukau as no car parking facilities are near enough , the council built a high rise park another 350 m away from the railway station…too far away and another uncovered walk….this is an absolute fail in my view..
  • Greg Mulholland As for a rail service linking to the airport …a further step back…feeder buses to the rail system would get it working more efficiently, a decent ticket system , make it cheaper and make it RELIABLE!!!
  • Ben Ross I’ll comment more on this after NCIS
  • Luke Christensen the Manukau link had to be mostly built at same time as motorway and MIT otherwise would have been incredibly expensive. However should of been accompanied by more bus improvements, and better pedestrian links from Westfield/Rainbows End etc to the station.
  • Ben Ross Okay found it – my post on the Manukau South Rail Link https://voakl.net/2012/10/11/south-auckland-gets-shafted-yet-again/

    However Greg is right with the Airport Link – for now. Better bus services, connections, and frequencies along the current 380 Route (which a few touch ups) AS WELL AS a ticketing system that works and is decent would be the best for the next 15 years at least. After that then maybe the Airport Rail Link.

    As for Manukau Station – said it all here in the chance missed https://voakl.net/2012/04/08/manukau-station/

    voakl.net

    Manukau to Papakura Direct Rail Link is Dead   Well it seems South Auckland is about to get shafted yet again by hopeless planning that Auckland is extremely famous for since the 1950’s. Our r…
  • Ben Ross As for AT and pushing for the North Link – time to be in front of The Transport Committee again just to make sure AT has its priorities again

 

As I said GROAN! But at least the Strategy and Finance Committee rejected Auckland Transport’s request for the North Link – hopefully a few Councillors called BS on what AT was trying to do as well! However after reading George’s comment last night – especially busting a nut in trying to emphasis the actual need for the South Link yesterday afternoon you could be forgiven if I was feeling this right now: “Busting a Nut to get something for the wider community only to be kicked in the nuts by the bureaucracy in question in them doing something else – not fun”

So what now?

Right now I am considering options. At the minimum it will be me back in front of the Auckland Council Transport Committee to remind Councillors Mike Lee and Chris Fletcher who serve on the AT-Board of South Auckland’s rather foul mood after Auckland Transport pulling off a stunt like that with the North Link, and that the South Link (despite the business case under way) is still seen as a very high priority.

But in the mean time – WATCH THIS SPACE!

 

 

BEN ROSS : AUCKLAND

Shining The Light – To a Better Papakura (OUR home)
AND
To a Better Auckland – (OUR City)

Auckland 2013: YOUR CITY – YOUR CALL

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