2014 - A year of delivering change for Auckland

30/09/2014 10:57 a.m.

Auckland Transport’s annual report for 2014 charts its biggest year yet for delivering projects.

In the 2013-14 financial year ending in June Auckland Transport delivered $813 million worth of projects including $408 million on roads and $122 million on public transport.

Board chairman, Dr Lester Levy, says the year has seen many highlights including: the introduction of new electric trains; the full operation of smartcard ticketing across the public transport network; a new Panmure Station and interchange opened as part of AMETI; a new Auckland Transport Operating Centre commissioned to monitor and manage public transport and parking network operations city-wide and the $30 million Tiverton - Wolverton roading upgrade in New Lynn/Blockhouse Bay which was completed ahead of schedule.

Dr Levy says: “Many of these projects have been ‘on the books’ or ‘under consideration’ for years and many Aucklanders were wondering if they would ever happen. We have delivered in what has been a year unprecedented in Auckland Transport’s short history.”

He says transport is at the core of our daily lives. “When it goes well, we hardly even think about it. But when it goes wrong it can at the very least make us frustrated, perhaps even angry and impact negatively on our business or family life.

“As we look to the future, the essence of everything that we are doing and plan to do at Auckland Transport is about giving people choices.”

A major initiative rolling out in the current year is a new public transport fare structure along with a ‘New Network’ which will see buses on key routes at a minimum average of every 15 minutes, 7am to 7pm, seven days a week.

“We will also be embracing new technologies to improve the customer experience, particularly in the area of public transport. New mobile apps and real time customer information that is accurate are no longer ‘nice to haves’ – they are absolutely critical if we are to get people to use alternatives to the private vehicle.”

“A very real challenge for this year is to deliver the step-change that Aucklanders want and need with a significant proposed reduction in capital expenditure, which has been clearly signalled by Auckland Council. This will be through a combination of working differently, and readjusting targets and expectation. We need to do everything possible to ensure momentum is maintained.”
KEY 2014 HIGHLIGHTS
• Electric trains in service, on budget, on time.
• Panmure Station and interchange opened for AMETI.
• City Rail Link costs redefined, design underway.
• 72.4 million total public transport patronage.
• New southern Auckland bus network ready for tendering.
• Completion of Tiverton - Wolverton roading upgrade ahead of scheduleDominion Road ready for construction.
• Auckland Transport Operating Centre now manages parking and public transport with police, ambulance, Transdev.
• Otahuhu transit station ready for construction.
• Cycleway proposals in consultation across Auckland Transport.
• O’Connell and Federal Streets shared spaces completed.
• Parking strategy consultation completed.
Read the Auckland Transport 2014 Annual Report online

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