News Release

9 December 2014

Council agrees to change CRL timing in draft budget

Auckland Council’s Governing Body today agreed to push out the timing for the start of the City Rail Link (CRL) in its 10-year budget to 2018/19.

The council did have the CRL project commencing from 2015/16, based on an assumption government’s funding contribution for the project would also start next year, five years earlier than government has so far indicated.

The decision to amend the timing, which was agreed 14 votes to 6, comes in response to discussions held with Audit NZ on the council’s draft budget.

The council will still invest as planned $280 million to do enablement works in the first three years of the plan (2015-18), as well as spend $120 million for ongoing land acquisition. But construction is now scheduled to start three years later in 2018/19, assuming government has agreed to start its funding at that stage.

The CRL is now expected to be completed in 2023. This later start increases the cost of the project from $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion, but has no impact on rates for Auckland’s ratepayers.

Mayor Len Brown says:

“We are continuing to work closely with the government on the timing for funding, so we get on with building the CRL as soon as possible to unlock this city’s growth and keep Auckland moving.

“I’m confident we can come to an agreement in the next 12-18 months and negotiate an earlier start date.”

Public consultation on the draft LTP begins January 23 next year. The final plan is due for adoption June 30, 2015.

Ends

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