6 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson, Auckland 0612
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Ph 09 355 3553
Fax 09 355 3550
25 July 2016
Mr T Randle
Dear Mr Randle
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
CAS-318553-JOY5G7
Thank you for your letter of 10 June 2016 requesting the following information in relation to the article
on the Stuff website entitled "Auckland to find out later this year whether it gets a light rail system".
Your request has been emphasised in bold as follows:
1.
Can I please have a copy of the detailed costing and supporting report that support the
statement that "initial route proposed from the city centre down Dominion Road will
cost about $1 billion"?
1.1
AT has been investigating public transport (PT) access to and through the city centre,
acknowledging the ongoing high growth of public transport patronage and the
challenges that implies e.g. congestion, travel time delays, reduced reliability of
service.
1.2
In AT’s assessment a significant problem exists now, with buses frequently late and
full, resulting in passengers being left behind. Projects and initiatives such as the City
Rail Link (CRL) and the New Network - largely with double-decker buses, will provide
substantial additional capacity, but the underlying growth in projected demand is so
great that most bus routes and the associated terminals and bus stops will have
reached capacity by the early 2020s. This was identified in the City Centre Future
Access Study 2012 (CCFAS) attached as Link 1.
1.3
The cost estimate of $1b is a figure that has been used for some time as a guide for
the cost of the first stage of the project implementation (expected to be Wynyard
Quarter to Dominion Road). A report that details the costings of any Light Rail (LRT)
system is contained in this response entitled Auckland Central Access Plan (CAP)
attached as Link 2. This report is the latest in an investigative process into mass
transit options for Auckland and AT will continue this work to further some of the
concepts discussed in the report.
As the LRT design investigations are at a point that detailed cost estimation can’t be
carried out, analogous rates have been used derived from other projects and
international comparator cities. The $1b estimate included a number of elements, i.e.
very indicative design costs, construction costs, LRT stop location costs, LRT vehicle
costs and any land requirement costs. Detail can be found on page 56 of the CAP
Programme Business Case (PBC) attached as Link 3, with programme cost detail on
page 57.
aucklandtransport.govt.nz
1.4
A Central Access Study (CAS) is progressing in partnership with the Transport
Agency and others as part of the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP)
process, which is expected to release recommendations on investment timing and
priorities in Q3/4 2016 (see link 5i for an introduction to ATAP and 5iii, page 38).
2.
Can I please have a copy of the report that shows "building more busways would
require an underground bus station and tunnels in the city centre and cost between
$5b and $9bn"?
2.1
Busways were part of CCFAS which concluded that that the surface bus options will
not have the capacity required to accommodate growth beyond the early 2020s. The
CAP identified the capacity of surface bus options as being incapable of meeting
demand, and the capacity issue was further explored in the PBC. The capacity is
explained on page 6 and 7 of the PBC. Further analysis of this option can be found
on pages 40-42 in the PBC options analysis, and again on page 68 in Programme
Option 2.
3.
Can I please have a copy of the detailed cost estimate supports the cost outlined in the
statement that "building more busways would require an underground bus station and
tunnels in the city centre and cost between $5b and $9bn"?
3.1
See our comment in 2.1 above.
4.
Can I please have a copy of any reports and/or analysis that match the predicted future
PT capacity to Light Rail and to options of "surface bus-based mass transit solution"
that shows Light Rail can deliver the required capacity and bus-based solutions
cannot?
4.1
See our comment in 2.1 above. LRT capacity is demonstrated on pages 6-8 of the
PBC and is discussed as Option 3 on pages 69-70.
Please note that the reports attached are part of an ongoing project focussing on mass transit options
for Auckland. AT will be providing quarterly updates as to the status of the investigations into LRT and
BRT on its website.
Link 1. CCFAS Executive summary and Supporting Report
i.
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/representativesbodies/MayorofAuckland/Documents/C
CFASexecsummary.pdf
ii. http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/representativesbodies/MayorofAuckland/Documents/C
CFAS2.pdf
Link 2. Auckland Central Access Plan Strategic Case (CAP)
https://at.govt.nz/media/1913574/cas-strategic-case-report.pdf
Link 3. Auckland Central Access Plan Programme Business Case (PBC)
https://at.govt.nz/media/1913570/cap-programme-business-case.pdf
Link 4. Auckland Central Access Plan Peer Review
https://at.govt.nz/media/1913578/central-access-plan-pbc-peer-review.pdf
Link 5. Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) update, Foundation Report and Interim Report
i.
http://www.transport.govt.nz/land/auckland/atap/
ii.
http://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Land/Documents/Auckland-Transport-Alignment-Project-
Foundation-Report.pdf
iii.
http://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Land/Documents/Auckland-Transport-Alignment-Project-
Interim-Report.pdf
We trust the above information has addressed the matters raised however, should you believe that we
have not responded appropriately to your request, you have the right in accordance with section 27(3)
of the LGOIMA to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman to seek an investigation and review
in regard to this matter.
If you have any further queries, please contact me on (09) 355 3553 during business hours, quoting
Local Government Official Information request number CAS-318553-JOY5G7.
Yours sincerely
Yours sincerely
Claire Stewart
Peter Clark
Chief Investment Officer
Chief Strategy Officer
