By Finn Blackwell of RNZ

Auckland Council is warning that funding reductions to transport could see entire suburbs without public transport services, after approving its submission for the Government’s proposed transport policy.

The council’s Transport and Infrastructure committee went over the governing body’s submission for the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport today.

The draft statement was proposing to reduce national public transport funding by 10 per cent compared to 2021.

The council asked for sufficient funding to be allocated to public transport in order to maintain existing services and deliver on planned improvements.

It said otherwise that could mean hiked fares, a 30 per cent drop in services, as well as increased congestion at peak times.

The council was concerned there would not be enough funding to support existing costs and improved services, with the potential shortfall in funding from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi ranging between $80 million and $500m.

Fixing the shortfall with hiked fares alone would result in anywhere from a 22 per cent to a 136 per cent increase.

This would increase an average fare of $5.15 to between $6.30 and $12.15, with long-term trips like Papakura to the city centre going up from $7.40 to over $17.

During debate, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said he supported the submission in whole, despite disagreeing with parts of it.

“There are lots of things that most of us can support and there’s bound to be things that annoy some members,” Brown said.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown. Photo / Michael Craig

“I think we’ve really got it about right, because we’re never going to get 100 per cent agreement on every single part of this.”

Councillor Lotu Fuli agreed, saying the balance of the document was right.

“Of course, we won’t all agree with every little part of it,” Fuli said.

“Some parts I think we could go stronger on, for example around the environment and around the public transport funding... but generally speaking, the balance is right in terms of the submission.”

Councillor Maurice Williamson voiced his opposition to the document, calling it tone deaf.

“Do we want the Government to listen and to make changes or do we want [to] start preaching from the political pulpit, having speeches that make us feel good and excite ourselves about it and have them listen to nothing,” he said.

“This is the most scattergun approach document I could see.”

Williamson said the submission would not get the Government to listen.

Supporting the submission, councillor Shane Henderson called out the public transport fare hikes while the country was still in a cost-of-living crisis.

“Is this action on cost of living?” Henderson asked. “If this gets passed as is, it will take money out of the pockets of Aucklanders in a crisis or it’ll rip away their opportunity for transport choice, probably some combination of both.”

Henderson said suburban Aucklanders, Māori and Pacific communities and those “living close to the line” would be impacted the most.

Christine Fletcher urged her fellow elected members to think about what was best for the city.

“This is no time for extremes,” Fletcher said.

“This is not a time for anything other than what is going to take Auckland forward...”

Auckland Transport told RNZ it was far too early to tell which suburbs could be left without public services.

The submission also included recommendations on safety, climate, and the city’s rail network.

It also recommended the inclusion of the Integrated Transport Plan, something Brown said was already agreed with the Government and the Prime Minister.

The vote was passed 16 to three, with councillor Mike Lee abstaining and councillor Daniel Newman recording his opposition to part of the submission.