Local boards will approve parking policies, speed limits, cycleways and pedestrian crossings in their communities.
The Auckland Transport model was ill-conceived from the start, motivated by short-term political expediency and Steven Joyce’s desire to run Auckland’s transport system from Wellington.
But it hasn’t worked out well for anyone.
By giving AT the status of road controlling authority and making it the body responsible for approving the regional land transport plan (RLTP), Transport Minister Joyce handed control of Auckland’s roads and public transport system over to an independent board which can’t be voted out of power.
You can look anywhere in the world, and you won’t find a public transport agency with the same degree of power and independence that AT enjoys under the Joyce regime.
I think it’s no coincidence that over the last 14 years, we have seen Aucklanders’ trust and confidence in local democracy plummet. AT couldn’t even reach its very low target of 30% public satisfaction.
Many people still think their elected mayor and councillors tell AT what to do. In reality, the most we can do is write letters and ask them nicely to do things, but the culture of independence is so deeply embedded that AT often marks its own homework.
Even though we have the power to appoint the board, we find that directors feel obliged under company law to put the interests of AT before that of the council − and AT just doesn’t listen.
Joyce remains unapologetic and his recent Weekend Herald column (November 30) makes for a great case study in denialism and hypocrisy given his own “rearranging of deckchairs” with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (the three things it has prevented).
But thankfully we now have a Government that is bold enough to give Auckland a clean slate and let us start over again.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown announced the changes to AT earlier this month.
The underlying principle of AT reform is about restoring local democracy to Auckland’s transport system by giving power back to the elected council so that decisions reflect the needs and interests of Aucklanders.
Some local decisions, such as street improvement (eg cycleways) and setting speed limits, should be made by local boards on behalf of their local communities.
Councillors, who are elected to represent the whole region, will get to make the big decisions about which projects are funded under the $63 billion RLTP (updated every three years).
But this process will only work if there is long-term strategic alignment between Auckland and Wellington. That is why we need a 30-year Integrated Transport Plan, something else I have fought long and hard for.
The new Auckland Regional Transport Committee, a joint committee made up of three ministerial appointees and three councillors with an independent chair, will be given the job of developing an Integrated Transport Plan.
This has the potential to be transformational for Auckland and, indeed, the rest of the country. Given that Auckland is a third of the population and nearly 40% of the economy, New Zealand’s future growth and productivity will depend on Auckland having a fast and reliable transport system.
There is still a lot of work to be done before we get to implementing these reforms. Legislation will be drafted in the new year and the process could take many months. But councillors have given a resounding message to AT that we are not going to sit around and wait for Parliament.
When I presented my broader council-controlled organisation reform package to the council last week, I made it clear that the transition must begin now.
It is a rare occasion when all of us around the council table agree but on this, we were unanimous. Aucklanders are back in control.
