All options back on the table
Earlier this year in response to media coverage on Auckland Transport developing a fetish for Light Rail to the Airport via Dominion Road in place of Heavy Rail I sent a letter to Minister Simon Bridges (as well as English and Smith) outlining Heavy Rail from Otahuhu as one such alternative to what Auckland Transport wanted.
The original letter can be read here: Letter to the Ministers on Airport Rail. Also Herald and Commenters Wanting Heavy Rail Option too. #AKLPols
The letter was written while a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request on the Airport Rail methodology was due back. That LGOIMA came back and showed heavy rail from both Onehunga and Manukau was the most viable option with Otahuhu as the back up. You can read that report here: Exclusive: LGOIMA Report Shows Heavy Rail Not Light Rail Most Viable for Airport Rail #AKLPols.
Back to the reply from Minister Bridges
Yesterday I received a reply from Minister of Transport Simon Bridges concerning Airport Rail. You can read his reply below:
My thanks to the Minister for his reply, much appreciated.
Effectively the Minister has stated that all options both heavy and light rail are back on the cards for consideration. The final outcome will be placed on the this Transport Accord due out late this year. Given Councillor Cashmore is the Council representative and the Southern Ward Councillors including Cashmore (Franklin Ward) are more supportive of Heavy Rail to the Airport (I had other correspondence away to the Southern Ward Councillors and Local Boards) I would say Heavy Rail might just be what we get.
For now we wait but still continue to nudge the Councillors towards Heavy Rail for the Airport Line.
Red = LRT proposal by Auckland Transport
Black = Heavy Rail Route proposal
Black dash = Via Mangere route to Airport instead of Onehunga
Yellow = LRT to Manukau as part of Botany Line or Heavy Rail to Manukau
Talking Southern Auckland 
Forget the nudging mate, let’s all give them a good shove!
Since the formation of our ‘super city’, civic leaders (councilors included) have tended to be reactionary.
To grow we need leaders with vision who can move ahead instead of adopting the ‘let’s wait and see’ platitudes.
We really need planning to start now, ahead of future growth.
That’s what I think.
Well we need to get Ward Councillor candidates all lined up rather soon to help give that well shove.