Record 13 million trips on Auckland’s trains in past year

Aucklanders have taken more than 13 million trips across the Auckland rail network in the past year, hitting the latest patronage milestone just five months after passing the 12 million trip mark.

Mayor Len Brown says the latest milestone confirms once again that Aucklanders are crying out for better transport choices and that they are taking to the new electric trains in their droves.

Auckland Council’s target was 15 million rail trips annually by 2017, but the Mayor says the 13 million milestone suggests we could reach that target by the end of this year and if we continue the current rate of growth in rail patronage, we will pass the Government’s 20 million trip target in 2017/18.

“Since the rollout of electric trains started less than a year ago, the number of people getting out of their cars and jumping on the train is soaring, and that will continue to increase with the Southern Line roll-out complete by the end of this month and the Western Line roll-out completing the transition to electric trains by the middle of the year.

“Every day, Aucklanders tell me they want better public transport. This latest milestone confirms what we have always said - if we can build it, they will get out of their cars and use it. The issue is now that by the middle of this year, Britomart will have reached capacity and the simple fact is no more trains will be able to fit in.”

Auckland has suffered chronic under-investment in its transport infrastructure for decades. Improving transport is the Auckland Council’s number one investment priority as it drafts its next 10-year budget over the coming months – the Long-term Plan (LTP) 2015-2025. At the top of the list is the $2.4 billion City Rail Link, which will double rail patronage and which the council will begin building early next year.

“At a time when more and more people are choosing to travel by rail, we need to start construction in 2016 if this city is to cope with its rapidly growing population,” says Len Brown. “Aucklanders are behind this, the business and investment community are behind this, we just need to get on and get it done.”

The public have until 4pm on Monday 16 March to have their say on the transport system they want and how they would like to pay for it as part of the public consultation of Auckland Council’s 10-year budget. Aucklanders can give feedback via social media, the shapeauckland.co.nz website, filling in the consultation forms sent to Auckland letterboxes or attending Have Your Say events being held around Auckland.

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