KEY POINTS:
Aucklanders can expect to see electric trains by 2012 and an integrated ticketing service could be confirmed this month, the Auckland Regional Council has confirmed.
Chairman Mike Lee said yesterday that he had "real concerns" about the council's budget given the economic climate but integrated ticketing and the electrification of rail were still top of the list and would go ahead on time.
But with the property as it is, the tank farm development is likely to be delayed.
The regional council's land investments had been hit by the lowering value of the world property market, the Ports of Auckland were suffering under the downturn in international trade and lowering interest rates had affected council assets, Mr Lee said.
The ARC had a "narrow envelope to work in" but believed it would be able to move ahead with the ticketing and rail electrification objectives, he said.
Yesterday the ARC group reached an agreement to meet rail electrification and integrating ticketing commitments on time.
A tender process is under way and Mr Lee hopes to sign a deal to buy
electric rolling stock by September with electric trains on the rails by 2011 or 2012.
"I would still dearly like to see them in by the rugby world cup but having to go through a long tender process means that will be very difficult to meet," he said.
Rail electrification would move "a lot more people, a lot more efficiently and a lot more comfortably", Mr Lee said.
It would change Aucklanders' lives and the city would take its place
among all the other leading cities in the world.
"We are determined to get this done as soon as possible because Aucklanders have already waited far too long," he said.
A tender for integrated ticketing could be approved as soon as February 16.
Some minor infrastructure projects such as train stop upgrades might have to be rescheduled.
