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Transport group proposes cheaper, faster alternative to Auckland airport trams

Author
Bernard Orsman, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Tue, 9 Oct 2018, 7:56PM
The idea has been rejected by the Transport Minister, despite estimates costing $2b less. (Photo / Supplied)
The idea has been rejected by the Transport Minister, despite estimates costing $2b less. (Photo / Supplied)

Transport group proposes cheaper, faster alternative to Auckland airport trams

Author
Bernard Orsman, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Tue, 9 Oct 2018, 7:56PM

Public transport groups are calling on the Government to abandon "slow trams" and run trains from the Auckland CBD to the airport.

Plans to run trains from the city the airport via a new double track railway line for the 6km leg from Puhinui station to the airport are being presented at a public meeting at Dominion Rd in Auckland this evening.

The plans, costing $1 billion to $1.5b, would include a 1.5km underground link at the airport end of the line, according to NZ Transport 2050 chairman Paul Miller.

He said express non-stop trains would take 30 minutes from the city to the airport.

The plan also allows for train services and rail freight from Pukekohe, Hamilton and Tauranga to the airport. It would take 30 minutes for a train service from Pukekohe to the airport.

The idea has been rejected today by Transport Minister Phil Twyford, who is pushing for modern trams, also known as light rail, to run from the CBD, via Dominion Rd, Mt Roskill and Mangere to the airport, costing $3.4b.

The proposed rail route from Puhinui station to the airport. The proposed rail route from Puhinui station to the airport.

Twyford said light rail is the best option, more efficient, more versatile than trains and a magnet for investment and development.

In recent months, New Zealand Transport Agency chief executive Fergus Gammie has said the best route between the CBD and the airport is by train to Puhinui, and transferring to buses for the final 6km leg to the airport.

The transport agency still intends to build modern trams from the CBD to the airport, which was an election promise by Labour.

Twyford said the intention is to do both, light rail via Dominion Rd, and trains to Puhinui and buses from there to the airport.

"They provide different options depending where in Auckland you are. The city to Mangere rapid transit will go to the airport but it's primary purpose is connecting two of the biggest job concentrations, the CBD and the airport precinct, and provide high-quality rapid transit for all the communities it serves," he said.

Miller said slow trams down Dominion Rd or catching the train to Puhinui and lugging bags onto a shuttle bus to the airport was a costly "lemon" which won't solve the massive congestion issues caused by the trending growth at Auckland Airport.

He said passengers numbers at Auckland Airport rose up by more than 50 per cent between 2014 and 2018, and forecast to reach 40 million passengers by 2030.

"No cities in the world with an airport the size of Auckland has selected trams or bus transfer shuttles as the prime public transport option," he said.

Melbourne, the world's biggest tram city, is building rail to the airport. Perth is investing in modern trams, also known as light rail, but running trains to the airport, he said.

NZ Transport 2050 and the Public Transport Users Association have called their plans Start, "Straight to Airport Rapid Trains".

They have the backing of Auckland councillor Mike Lee, who as chairman of the former Auckland Regional Council oversaw double tracking and electrification of rail lines across Auckland, reopening of the Onehunga rail line and got the ball rolling on the City Rail Link

 

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