Manukau Mayor says better transport planning needed

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis wants a new body to take over the Auckland Regional Council's transport duties.

Sir Barry said his proposed Auckland Transport Authority should also assume the responsibilities of Infrastructure Auckland, ARTNL (Auckland Regional Transport Network Ltd), Transfund and roadbuilder Transit New Zealand.

The region was suffering from a poor transport system, despite a number of organisations having a hand in transport planning, he said.

"There is already an overall transport strategy but no one is in charge overall so progress is too slow," said Sir Barry.

"There's too much fragmentation.

"No single organisation is looking at the big picture, deciding what needs to be done and then doing it.

"That's why our transport system is so poor."

Sir Barry said the ARC should be left to concentrate on resource management and running parks.

He planned to discuss his idea this week with Prime Minister Helen Clark and Cabinet ministers.

The new authority could have a governing board of about 15, including mayors, representatives of the region's seven councils and the Government.

The regional land transport committee at present has representatives from about 20 organisations. ARC transport chairwoman Catherine Harland said Sir Barry's call also reflected other people's years of frustration in dealing with regional infrastructure issues.

"What we have is dysfunctional, in the way that no regional agency can fund, plan and implement."

Mrs Harland said conflict was caused by different agencies being set up to do different things and each having its own priorities.

The ARC had achieved a transport strategy, but its work to improve bus and rail services was hampered by its not being able to own public transport infrastructure.

The ARC could not implement anything, and operational costs could only be met from rates and Transfund passenger subsidies.

She opposed mayors being on the governing board of any new authority.

Not all mayors shared Sir Barry's regional vision, she said, and would put the interests of their areas before others.

In June 2000, North Shore Mayor George Wood called on other Auckland councils for support to streamline the funding and management of passenger services in the region.

Slow progress in bringing about the city's busway project brought home the need for a single and separate passenger transport authority, Mr Wood said.

Mrs Harland said the one-stop-shop idea had been discussed at a series of regional meetings over the past three years.