20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Phone 09 355 3553
Website www.AT.govt.nz
20 July 2018
Ben Ross
[email address]
Dear Ben
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA)
CAS-798593-V5F6J9
Thank you for your email dated 21 June 2018 requesting the information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act) regarding the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit project. Please
find below the answers to the questions you asked. The Airport to Botany Rapid Transit project
is still in the early stages of the business case and options are still being investigated.
Overview
There are three transport agencies working together to plan for and deliver access
improvements to and from the Auckland Airport area: Auckland Airport; the New Zealand
Transport Agency (the Transport Agency) and Auckland Transport.
Auckland Transport is leading the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit project, working in
collaboration with the Transport Agency and Auckland Airport, as well as other key project
partners and stakeholders.
The project is currently in the early stages of business case development. The purpose of the
business case is to assess how access issues in the area can be addressed; and to identify a
recommended option based on a range of requirements.
The business case will be complete by early-mid 2019 and there will be opportunities for the
community and public to inform the work in due course. There will also be more clarity around
project specific information as the business case is developed in more detail.
The broad elements investigated will identify how we can collectively:
• Provide an improved public transport link for people between the airport and Auckland
city centre, south and east Auckland via a transfer to rail at an enhanced Puhinui
Station.
• Improve access and transport options for people in the south and east of Auckland and
to major employment zones in these areas; and
• Support growth opportunities at key locations along the route, particularly around
Manukau, Botany and the airport.
While the business case work will identify improvements that can be undertaken in the medium
to longer-term, the Transport Agency together with Auckland Transport and Auckland Airport,
are also seeking to progress early improvements along the Airport to Manukau section of route
to provide more immediate benefits to people accessing the area via this corridor.
1) What exactly is the project delivery of the Manukau to Airport via Puhinui Station
section of the Botany to Airport MRT line. That is what does the budget allocations and
works entail (what do we get)?
The Airport to Botany Rapid Transit project will be delivered in stages.
The Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP 2018) has allocated funding for the first decade as
follows:
Funding for Auckland Transport to complete the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit
investigation (business case) by 2019. This will inform subsequent work to seek route
protection for the project.
Funding to deliver a range of early improvements to improve airport access by
2020/2021. For along the Airport to Manukau corridor this encompasses:
-
A new bus/rail interchange at Puhinui Station (led by Auckland Transport); and
-
Bus priority lanes between the Airport and Manukau City Centre via Puhinui Station
(delivered by Auckland Airport; the Transport Agency and Auckland Transport in
accordance to each agency’s road network area).
Funding to complete the Botany Interchange by 2025/26 as part of the AMETI Eastern
Busway programme. Whilst not within the Airport to Manukau corridor, the proposed
new Botany Interchange is an integral component of the Airport to Botany Rapid
Transit project as this interchange will be the connection point for the two rapid transit
lines serving the East Auckland area.
So far, $68M has been allocated for the early deliverables of the project. This includes work
to be completed by 2021 to improve airport access, including the Puhinui bus-rail interchange
upgrade and a range of other measures including localised bus priority and walking/cycling
improvements.
For the longer-term work, which is anything after 2021, there is $10M allocated for
investigation and route protection for Airport to Botany Rapid Transit via Manukau.
2) When are the works likely to start for the Manukau to Airport section of the Botany
to Airport MRT line?
The Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP, April 2018) and the RLTP indicates
implementation of the full Airport to Botany rapid transit facility to be a second decade project
(post 2028).
It is anticipated that the business case work being progressed now will provide more clarity on
this in due course as the purpose of the work is to determine the scale, form and recommended
timing of proposed improvements. As previously outlined, the business case is expected to
be complete by early-mid 2019.
As outlined above, there is a significant committed programme to provide more immediate
improvements for the Airport to Manukau section – to be in place by 2020/2021 - and delivered
by Auckland Airport, the Transport Agency and Auckland Transport.
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3) Will the entire Botany to Airport MRT line be future proofed for Light Rail?
The aim of the business case is to identify what is needed now and into the future to address
the access issues in this area. This will include considering different modes of rapid transit
such as bus rapid transit and light rail and what future proofing should be incorporate as part
of the project now.
4) What walking and cycling improvements will be done along the entire Manukau to
Airport section of the Botany to Airport MRT line especially along the length of SH20B?
The Transport Agency, together with Auckland Transport and Auckland Airport, will be
investigating walking and cycling improvement opportunities along this corridor as part of the
business case work.
The form of walking and cycling improvements and implementation timing is still to be
confirmed.
5) What is the forecast start date for the Manukau to Botany section of the Botany to
Airport MRT?
The purpose of the business case is to determine the scale, form and recommended timing of
the ultimate form of rapid transit facility. The business case is expected to be complete by
mid-2019.
6) What steps is Auckland Transport taking with other partners including NZTA and
Panuku Development Auckland to enable full integrated land use/transport planning -
that is Transit Orientated Developments around the Botany to Airport MRT line given
these opportunities were missed with Manukau Bus Station, and is expected as a matter
of policy in the Auckland Plan 2050, and the GPS 2050
Auckland Transport is working together with Transport Agency, Auckland Airport, Mana
Wheunua, Auckland Council and other organisations such as Panuku Development Auckland
to develop the business case, which includes opportunities to achieving full land use and
transport integration.
7) Will Auckland Transport be engaging with the community and stakeholders to help
deliver TODs as mentioned in question six above?
As the business case progresses Auckland Transport will work with key stakeholders and the
community to identify desired improvements and opportunities in this area, including land use
and transport integration opportunities such as Transit Orientated Developments (TODs).
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If you would like further information, please contact Renata Smit, Manager Airport Access
Programme, by email t
o [email address] or by phone on 021 877 039.
We trust the above information has addressed the matters raised however, should you believe
that we have not responded appropriately to your request, you have the right in accordance
with section 27(3) of the LGOIMA to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman to
seek an investigation and review in regard to this matter.
If you have any further queries, please contact me on (09) 355 3553 during business hours,
quoting Local Government Official Information request number
CAS-798593-V5F6J9.
Yours sincerely
Theunis Van Schalkwyk
Group Manager Strategic Projects
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