Green Party calls for Auckland Airport Rail by 2025

The Government must start the Auckland City Rail Link next year to avoid holding up the development of a rail line to Auckland International Airport, the Green Party said today.

Auckland International Airport has released a 30 year development plan that identifies land for a rail link to cater for growth in passengers and employees.

“Auckland is well overdue for a rail link to the airport. The sooner we catch up on rail investment, the sooner we will see the transport and economic benefits,” said Green Party Transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.

“Airport rail will not only provide a much faster and more reliable way to get to the airport, it will take pressure off the surrounding road network.

“We need the City Rail Link (CRL) to start urgently, to get five minute train frequency across the existing network – so we can then expand rail with links to the airport and the North Shore,” said Ms Genter.

“Unfortunately, the current National Government is holding up progress on Auckland rail by delaying the CRL start by at least five years. This means airport rail wouldn’t open for at least 15 years.

“We don’t need to wait for another generation to have a high quality, high frequency transport system. The Green Party will prioritise smarter, greener transport that will make the whole transport system work better.

“We will fund the Congestion Free Network, which will affordably see the CRL open by 2020, so there are trains every five minutes across the network at peak. This would allow for a rail link to the airport to be open by 2025,” said Ms Genter.
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