By Chris Daniels
transport reporter
A huge injection of money into Auckland public transport has come a step closer, with a key agency encouraging further planning.
Infrastructure Auckland yesterday endorsed moves towards building a network of public transport corridors across the region, costing up to $1.8 billion.
This plan, due for formal release in September, is the joint work of the Auckland Regional Council and the city and district councils of the Auckland region.
The funding agency agreed to "commit all necessary resources to evaluate the community benefit" of an expression of interest lodged by the joint councils on July 5.
Infrastructure Auckland was created to pay for the "public good" parts of transport and stormwater schemes. It has about $850 million worth of assets.
Its chairman, Craig Little, said the agreement was not a commitment to providing money, but an endorsement of the way joint councils were going about putting together a public transport scheme.
The agency board had now voted to support the adoption of the draft Passenger Transport Action Plan, as long as it was satisfied on two counts.
These were making sure there was enough effort put into marketing and providing information for the new public transport systems and a commitment to "traffic-demand management."
This included parking policies and ways of cutting traffic growth.
An Infrastructure Auckland report says: "In our view, investments in rapid transit corridors that will enable peak-hour commuters to be transported on vehicles that can carry a large number of people in comfort and security are likely to be more efficient than investments in roads capable of carrying the same number of people in private cars."
Tranz Rail has lodged an expression of interest with Infrastructure Auckland, asking for $200 million to expand passenger services on its southern and western rail corridors.
The plan to put rapid transit systems on three big corridors connecting the centre of Auckland with outlying suburbs could cost between $980 million and $1.8 billion.
Mr Little said yesterday's endorsement of the councils' planning did not mean other applicants, such as Tranz Rail, were being cut out of getting money from the agency.
"We won't be ready to make any serious funding decisions for a little while yet."
Agency backs plan to lift public transport
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