Hon Phil Twyford
Minister of Transport
MP for Te Atatū

Cabinet has agreed to end the twin track Auckland Light Rail process and refer the project to the Ministry of Transport for further work, Transport Minister Phil Twyford says.

Despite extensive cross-party consultation, Government parties were unable to reach agreement on a preferred proposal. The future of the project will now be decided by the government following September’s general election.

Phil Twyford says two credible and deliverable proposals were received.

“I’d like to thank NZ Infra and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for their work and innovative proposals.

“Either would have created hundreds of jobs and resulted in an Auckland metro that offered Aucklanders a 30 minute trip from the CBD to the Airport.”

Auckland Light Rail remains a project in the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP), he said.

“The Ministry of Transport and the Treasury will report back after the general election on the best option for this project to be delivered by the public sector. The Ministry of Transport and the Treasury will also engage with NZ Infra and Waka Kotahi about how work done on this project can support the next phase.

“The Government remains committed to fixing congestion in Auckland and boosting jobs through building infrastructure. We’ve made good progress on ATAP with construction starting this term on the Eastern Busway, Matakana Link Road, SH20B upgrades, the Puhinui Interchange, Karangahape Road Cycleway, and the Constellation Bus Station upgrade, to name a few.

“Auckland Light Rail will be New Zealand’s most complex infrastructure project in decades and it’s vital we get it right for future generations,” Phil Twyford said.

Notes to editors:
• Work on the Auckland Light Rail was part of the confidence and supply agreement between Labour and the Greens. This work continues with the Ministry of Transport.
• The Ministry of Transport and the Treasury will work with both Auckland Council and Auckland Transport, as well as other agencies including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to prepare options for the new government to consider.
• They will also address the policy and system changes needed to help build rapid transit projects of this scale in our largest cities.

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