Democracy restored to transport in Auckland

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.

"Aucklanders have become increasingly frustrated with how transport decisions are made and how little their views are taken into account," Simeon Brown says.

"Even Auckland Transport's recent Annual Report highlighted that only 29 per cent of Aucklanders feel the organisation listens and responds to their needs.

"To address these concerns, the Government will implement significant reforms to restore democratic decision-making for transport outcomes in Auckland:

• Return regional transport policy and planning to Auckland Council: Transport policy and planning functions will move from Auckland Transport back to Auckland Council, aligning with how other regional councils operate across New Zealand.
• Establish a new Auckland Regional Transport Committee: A statutory committee will be formed to develop a 30-year Integrated Transport Plan for Auckland, to be agreed upon by both Cabinet and Auckland Council. This will ensure long-term strategic alignment between local and central government.
• Designate Auckland Council as the Road Controlling Authority: Auckland Council will assume the role of Road Controlling Authority. Decision-making will be shared between the Governing Body and Local Boards.
• Empower Auckland Council to give it control over its transport council-controlled organisation: Auckland Council will retain a transport council-controlled organisation focused solely on delivering transport projects and services. The council will have six months once legislation is passed to determine its specific functions.

"The existing transport governance model in Auckland is falling short of meeting the expectations of the Government, Auckland Council, and, most importantly, Aucklanders themselves. By returning decision-making power to elected representatives, we are enabling Aucklanders to directly influence the transport policies that affect their daily lives," Simeon Brown says.

"Under these reforms, Auckland elected representatives will be responsible for key transport decisions such as approving the Regional Land Transport Plan, and the Regional Public Transport Plan.

"If Aucklanders feel the transport system isn't working for them, or disagree with decisions made by their elected members, they can vote them out at the ballot box.

"Additionally, the Government will devolve specific transport functions to Local Boards, giving communities more say over transport issues such as parking policies, setting of speed limits, and approval of interventions on the roads such as cycleways and pedestrian crossings," Simeon Brown says.

"This change ensures that transport policies have democratic legitimacy and democratic accountability -something that has been sorely lacking."

The establishment of the Auckland Regional Transport Committee (ARTC) will further enhance strategic planning. The ARTC will develop a 30-year Integrated Transport Plan, considering the city's needs across roads, rail, public transport, and freight.

"Long-term alignment between local and central government is critical to Auckland and New Zealand's success.

"The last National Government started this work with the Auckland Transport Alignment Project, and now we will formalise it in legislation," Simeon Brown says.

"Aucklanders elected me to take back control of Auckland Transport and I am fulfilling that promise. The changes announced today will restore local democracy to Auckland's transport system by removing AT's statutory independence and giving elected members the power to make key transport decisions," Wayne Brown says.

"This is the fundamental reset I have long advocated for. We can now begin transitioning AT to a CCO focused on delivering better transport for Aucklanders

"The new Auckland Regional Transport Committee will mean a genuine partnership with central government to ensure we are in lockstep when it comes to developing an Integrated Transport Plan for the next 30 years of growth."