The AA welcomes the release today of the first report of the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP), describing it as another important step in the collaborative approach to Auckland’s transport planning.

The report sets out a common local-central government vision of the transport challenges facing Auckland, and the objectives and measures of success that will guide transport decision-making in the coming decades.

AA spokesman Barney Irvine said it was encouraging to see the ATAP process working so well.

“This is exactly the sort of shared thinking that’s been missing in the Auckland transport debate in the past, and it’s just what AA Members have been calling for. Aucklanders can take a lot of heart from this.”

He said one of the key elements of the report was the focus on achieving more out of Auckland’s existing transport plan.

“What it shows is that, under the current plan, the outlook for congestion and public transport performance is really pretty grim, particularly if you live in the South or the West of the city. If AA Members, and all Aucklanders, are going to buy into the plan, they’ll need to see better results.”

Mr Irvine added that the report provided an excellent platform for the hard work that lay ahead.

“The scale of the challenges facing Auckland is huge, and if we don’t have all agencies working together on the solutions, we’ll struggle badly,” he said. “This way, all parties will own the plan and own the outcomes.”

The AA commends the ATAP team, at all levels, on the speed and quality of its progress, and looks forward to the next stages of the project.

For more information contact:

Barney Irvine

Principal Advisor – Infrastructure

New Zealand Automobile Association

T. 09 966 8608

M. 027 839 9309

E. birvine@aa.co.nz