December 3, 2024 8:02pm by David Farrar

Sensible changes to Auckland Transport

The Browns announced:

The Government is restoring democratic accountability to transport decision-making in Auckland, ensuring voters can hold their elected representatives responsible for the city’s transport policies, Transport and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown, and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown say.

The changes are:

  • Transport policy and planning functions will move from Auckland Transport back to Auckland Council.
  • A new Auckland Regional Transport Committee will be formed to develop a 30-year Integrated Transport Plan for Auckland, to be agreed upon by both Cabinet and Auckland Council.
  • Designate Auckland Council as the Road Controlling Authority with decision-making shared between the Governing Body and Local Boards. 
  • Auckland Council will retain a transport council-controlled organisation focused solely on delivering transport projects and services.

These are all good changes, but worth also reading this column by Steven Joyce who points out that the lack of political will at Auckland Council is key. Once control passes more fully to them, the Council needs to do its job.