2. DARIEN FENTON (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What reports, if any, has she received that show that the Government’s investment in public transport in Auckland is paying dividends?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Transport) Link to this
Figures released on 9 August 2007 by the Auckland Regional Transport Authority and the Auckland Regional Council show that investment in Auckland transport by the region and the Government is getting results. Since 1999 Government funding for public transport in Auckland has increased from $18.1 million to $365 million. The Government funding has assisted the region to improve bus, rail, and ferry services, and to develop infrastructure, including new and upgraded stations, double tracking the western line, and the Britomart project. This has resulted in a 36 percent increase in patronage, from 38.6 million passengers in 1999 to more than 52.4 million passengers in 2006-07. Rail patronage has now reached 5.7 million trips per annum—a record for the past 5 years.
Over the next 10 years the region will see more developments for public transport services and infrastructure, and there will be further improvements in rail, bus, and ferry services. The North Shore busway will be completed early next year. There will be the reopening of the Onehunga line in December 2009, smart-card integrated ticketing across Auckland by 2010, and electrification of the rail network by 2013. Tomorrow I will be opening the redeveloped railway station at Papakura—yet another example of a revitalised Auckland rail network and overall passenger transport services.
Keith LockeDoes the Minister agree that during the 2011 Rugby World Cup it would be great to be able to showcase Auckland as a world-class city; and, building on some of the steps forward—
Hon Trevor Mallard
Madam SPEAKERWould the member please be seated. In this House it makes no difference whether the questions are friendly or unfriendly; all members are entitled to have their questions heard.
I will start again. Does the Minister agree that during the 2011 Rugby World Cup it would be good to showcase Auckland as a city with a world-class public transport system; and, building on the steps that she has just referred to, does she think it is possible and will she work towards electrifying at least the Ōtāhuhu to New Lynn section of the Auckland passenger rail system, which I understand is feasible and might help get some of the patrons to the rugby games at Eden Park?
I think that all New Zealanders would want those who are visiting Auckland City to have the best possible transport system in place. That is what we have been working on. If it is possible to electrify the rail network in Auckland sooner, then we would certainly be keen to do that, but what we really want in the long term is a very good passenger rail service in Auckland. We certainly will not cut corners to do that, but I think that what we have put in place with the investment we are now seeing, after years of neglect, will mean that a good-quality service will be provided.
Peter BrownCan I take it from the Minister’s answers that the success that is being achieved with public transport will have no adverse effect on the road building programme currently going on in Auckland, which that city desperately needs; can she give the House an assurance that it will not?
I certainly can, because when we look at investment in passenger transport, we see that it is a fraction of what is being spent on roads. Some of the argument has been that we have not invested enough into passenger transport to try to get some of the cars off the road and to get people into passenger transport, but we made a commitment to roads in New Zealand—State highways, major arterial routes, and local roads—through our 6-year funding package, which we continue to support. I think we ought to recognise the commitment that has been made to transport in New Zealand under this Government, and that is assisted, obviously, by our having good partners in Government.