Gary Taylor: Wanted: one transport tsar

COMMENT


"This timetable shows the times at which trains may be expected to operate. The operator endeavours to run all services on time, however weather, special events, traffic conditions, breakdowns and staff sickness may cause delays." - from Western Line Train Timetable 2004

Last year the Auckland region grew by 39,500 people. Many of them bought new cars. The regional economy continued to expand. As a result, traffic volumes increased by more than 4 per cent. Morning and evening peaks continued to merge on key routes and now encroach on most of the day. Delays cost businesses and individuals more than a billion dollars.

On the tracks, the trains broke down, ran late and were overloaded. Even the timetable contained Third World excuses for poor performance. The Auckland Regional Council bought some more second-hand trains and appointed a new train operator.

In the community, the debate raged between pro-road and pro-public transport advocates about the lack of progress. And finally the Government said: enough!

In December, the Prime Minister announced that our transport system would be overhauled. But the reality is that the Government's reforms don't go far enough and won't fix the problem.

What is the problem? Put simply, it is the involvement of too many organisations. At least 18, all with transport responsibilities. The Government says it will reduce those 18 entities to 17: Infrastructure Auckland is to be folded into the ARC.

There is merit in strengthening the ARC. Its new subsidiary will be called Auckland Regional Holdings. It will be the regional bank. It will need to achieve at least 11 per cent compound annual return on the $1 billion investments to match Infrastructure Auckland's performance.

Another entity will be created, also under the ARC umbrella, called the Auckland Regional Transport Authority. It will plan, finance and implement transport in Auckland, excluding state highways.

But the bottom line is that folding Infrastructure Auckland into the ARC and simply relocating the present ARC functions into a new subsidiary is not going far enough. In fact, if Auckland Regional Holdings and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority both have their own boards as proposed, the reforms will actually increase the number of players from 18 to 19!

We should look for inspiration at Perth, a city the size of Auckland. It has a great motorway network that flows freely. It also has a new, world-class commuter train network. The system is attracting so much patronage that Perth has ordered 98 more new trains.

We should also look at Brisbane, Toronto and Vancouver, cities that have really effective, fully integrated transport networks.

What distinguishes these examples is that they all have an overall transport authority with very few additional bodies. And Auckland has massive fragmentation, multiple entities, each with governing bodies and supporting bureaucracies keen to protect their own turf. Why on earth do we do this to ourselves?

With all these players, progress is slow and often involves poor, overly pragmatic and short-term choices. We have been proposing a rail upgrade since 1988 and motorway enhancements longer than that.

In spite of all the talk, the level of debate in the region is appalling. We have a pro-road lobby that wants just roads and we have a pro-public transport lobby that wants just trains.

Fundamental to any reforms must be the acceptance that Auckland needs both a first-rate, fully completed motorway system and a world-class train, ferry and bus network.

It is salutary to consider this: when the planned motorways are complete, they will add about 15 per cent capacity to the network. But by then traffic volumes will have increased at least 30 per cent at present rates of growth. So we will have more cars on the road and even greater congestion.

That is why we need a world-class train, ferry and busway network as well. The Rail Business Plan, paid for largely by Infrastructure Auckland, proposes new, electrified trains running at five-minute intervals and driving patronage up from the paltry 2 million passengers at present to 25 million by 2016.

That plan needs rapid implementation. With proper management, we could have the network fully electrified and new electric trains within 24 months. The proposed Auckland Regional Transport Authority should be told to deliver that outcome and given all the tools it needs.

The recent work by regional and Government officials demonstrated that we can afford both motorways and a comprehensive public transport network. The funds are largely available. Yes, there is a funding gap and closing that will involve some congestion pricing - but that was always on the cards. We simply have to pay more toget Auckland moving and thosewho argue to the contrary are deluding themselves.

The Government should create a fully empowered Auckland Regional Transport Authority. It can then plan, finance and implement transport in a fully integrated way, moving people and goods along transport corridors, whether they be rail tracks, harbours, busways or roads.

The key is devolving the relevant central Government functions to the region. This makes sense when 70 per cent of total regional transport spending is by central Government.

Transit New Zealand - the central Government road builder - should be brought into the new Transport Authority. Transfund - the central Government transport funder - could then bulk fund the region, allowing priority setting between roads and public transport to be done here rather than in Wellington.

Trackco, central Government's new rail network owner, should contract the management of its Auckland network to the region. From what we have seen of the likely directors of Trackco (the present directors of NZ Railways Corporation), there is a clear focus on national priorities, which will favour freight operations.

Commuter rail is poorly understood. Regional control of the corridor is essential if we are to get to 25 million passengers a year.

All the other public agencies with major transport responsibilities in the region should also be included in the new Transport Authority. It should have as many tools as possible to address Auckland's transport woes.

The Government already has a separate review of its own transport activities under way. The brief for this could easily be extended to incorporate a careful look at these devolution scenarios. A fully fledged Regional Transport Authority with all the relevant functions could deliver the decongestion benefits and public transport upgrade Auckland needs. The present plan will not do that. It is merely a small step in the right direction.

Finally, it is vital that while any reforms are implemented over the next 12 months, we continue to make robust progress in addressing the transport crisis. The changes cannot be used as another excuse for continuing inaction. We simply cannot afford more delay.

* Gary Taylor is a director of Infrastructure Auckland. The views he expresses are his own.