ARTA Media Release
1 July 2008

Smartcard heads up key 2008/09 passenger transport projects

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) today released the 2008/09 Auckland Land Transport Programme (LTP), which outlines Auckland's key passenger transport projects for the coming year. The release of the Auckland LTP follows the release of the National Land Transport Programme yesterday.

ARTA's General Manager, Strategy and Planning, Peter Clark says, "Over the next 20 years, the population of Auckland will grow at least by the equivalent of the current population of Christchurch or Wellington. Consequently, Aucklanders' need to travel is increasing at a faster rate than in other cities. This is putting great strains on our existing transport networks, and improvements to our infrastructure and passenger transport services are required.

"In offering an integrated programme of transport services, improvements and maintenance, the Auckland LTP is providing a regionally prioritised programme to move Auckland's transport system forward. The LTP lists all planned transport-related projects for the next 12 months (July 2008 to June 2009) from the region's city and district councils and ARTA itself. It prioritises the region's transport activities and allocates funding from the Auckland Regional Council, local councils and Land Transport New Zealand in a way that will help decrease Aucklanders' reliance on the private car by offering them more transport choices.

"As Auckland's transport agency, ARTA worked in consultation with the region's seven territorial authorities to collate, assess, evaluate and prioritise Auckland's transport activities for 2008/09. We appreciate the commitment of the organisations involved to assist us in drawing together the information and analysis required.

"ARTA also appreciates the ongoing commitment of the Auckland Regional Council towards land transport funding. This year, the ARC increased its transport contribution from $150 million last year to $179.3 million for 2008/09."

"Public transport growth in Auckland is now firmly on the move, showing a new trend for the region. For the year ending 30 April 2008, the average reduction in motorway traffic was about 3% while passenger transport use rose by 3.4%. The increasing rise of petrol coupled with improved passenger transport services should only see this trend continuing."

Key Auckland projects for 2008/09 include:
* The design and construction of the electronic smartcard integrated ticketing system
* An increase of train seat capacity to 7,550 seats and an increase in train service kilometres to 2.8 million
* Bus service improvements on Remuera Road, Mt Eden Road and Dominion Road
* Upgrading the Bayswater ferry terminal facilities and construction of a new ferry terminal at Beach Haven
* Continuation of bus priorities on link roads to the Northern Busway
* The Central Connector (the dedicated transport corridor between Britomart and Newmarket)
* Major roading projects in new development areas, especially Flat Bush, East Tamaki and Pukekohe
* New Lynn TOD
* Auckland to Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI).

Key expenditure items for Auckland for 2008/09 include:
* $248.6 M for passenger transport-related activities
* $177.6 M for maintenance and renewal of local roads
* $267.5 M for road improvement projects
* $46.1 M for land transport system use activities (travel demand management, community focused activities, and pedestrian and cycle facilities).

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