Auckland council seeks transport funding talks with new government

Holiday commuters queue in the northbound lanes of the Northern Gateway Toll Road. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Auckland Council wants to talk to the new Government about special taxes, including road charges and vehicle congestion charges, to fund its transport programme.

Penny Hulse, Auckland deputy mayor, said that was just one of the priorities in talks with the new regime.

"This is not about Auckland simply putting its hand out to Wellington. We're looking at alternative funding like road charges and congestion charges. It would help fund work and that's where we want to have an honest and open discussion with the Government about what Aucklanders are asking for and how we fund it," she said.

Getting funding packages in place to pay for infrastructure was important for the city, she said, citing the Northwestern motorway bus lane, finishing Auckland's cycle paths and the SkyPath under the Harbour Bridge.

Transport and its funding, City Rail Link, affordable housing, and economic development were the four main issues in the spotlight.

Although the council wants to start CRL by 2016, the previous Government indicated no funding before 2020 unless certain rail patronage and employment targets were met. But Hulse remains confident of middle ground.

"We've been working well with the Government over the last three years and we don't expect that to change. The start time and funding are things we need to talk to the Government about," she said.

The council aimed to carry on the good relationship with the Government over affordable housing and Special Housing Areas and work to influence Resource Management Act reform.

"We're test-driving changes with the Auckland Housing Project Office and we would like to partner up with the Government over what's working well in Ree Anderson's office so we'd have input in changes to the RMA rather than us sitting back and the Government bringing their idea to consultation," she said.

Auckland's economic development and employment were fourth priorities for the council, she said.

• Auckland Councillor Cameron Brewer encouraged the council to back down on its 2016 City Rail Link start date and said 2020 was more realistic. If the council wanted to find middle ground with the Government, it would be better to relax its timing on CRL.
"We know 2016 is actually more about Len Brown trying to secure a third term," Brewer said.