AA questions Phil Twyford's claims that its members overwhelmingly support light rail

Transport Minister Phil Twyford has repeatedly said that 91 per cent of AA members support light rail in Auckland, which the organisation disputes. Photo / Mark Tantrum

Transport Minister Phil Twyford has been accused of conflating the findings of a survey to suggest Auckland light rail has more public support.

When he confirmed that the process Cabinet was using to pursue light rail for Auckland was coming to an end on Wednesday, Twyford maintained that the proposals had overwhelming public support.

"I'm very disappointed and frustrated. We've put a lot of work into this, Aucklanders want it," Twyford told reporters in Parliament.

"Ninety-one per cent of AA members said the other day that they want light rail built in Auckland."

Twyford has also made the claim in Parliament.

On June 17, under questioning from Hutt South MP Chris Bishop, Twyford defended the Government's handling of right rail, as it became clearer that NZ First would not allow the proposals to proceed.

"I think it's a good example of a project where the Government is doing something that 91 per cent of AA members have asked for."

But the AA said Twyford is not accurately reflecting the survey.

The motoring group's Auckland issues spokesman Barney Irvine told the Herald on Wednesday that Twyford was "conflating some things in order to come up with some things".

Irvine wrote to Twyford's office on Thursday morning saying that it had noticed the way Twyford had used its survey and its members were querying his statements.

"While it's nice to see our survey work getting some cut-through, we need to be really careful that the results aren't misrepresented," Irvine wrote.

"In this case, the way it's been cited isn't entirely accurate."

According to Irvine, the survey showed that 91 per cent of AA members support the expansion of rapid transit in Auckland.

But when they were asked which form of rapid transit they preferred, light rail came out only slightly ahead of heavy rail in the case of CBD-Airport and from the CBD to the northwest of the city, while more bus ways were also well supported.

"To a certain extent, the minister's comments reflect the fact that terms 'light rail' and 'rapid transit' are often used interchangeably," Irvine wrote.

"Even so, the way the minister has cited the figure implies that AA members specifically supported one of the two options the Government had been considering – and that is certainly not the case."

Irvine asked the officials to bring the issue to Twyford's attention.

"We're very pleased to see our research make its way into the minister's messaging, but it needs to be accurate."

A spokeswoman for Twyford said he had been accurately reflecting the findings of the AA's survey.