Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown tells AT he wants a ‘complete change in approach’

Auckland Transport (AT) has been told to have a “complete change in approach” by Mayor Wayne Brown.

In a written directive to acting AT chairman Wayne Donnelly, Brown said he is seeking a “complete change in approach” by the transport body.

"You appear to have been focused on changing how Aucklanders live, using transport policy and services as a tool," Brown said.

"Instead, AT must seek to deeply understand how Aucklanders actually live now, how they want to live in the future, and deliver transport services that support those aspirations."

In a dig at AT's push to get people out of cars, Brown said Aucklanders do not always have the choice of using an e-bike, a bus or even a train but rely on the roading and car-parking networks to make their life functional.

Among the changes Brown wants to see from AT is to get approval from Local Boards before removing on-street and off-street parking.

The new mayor also wants to remove unnecessary road cones and road closures and establish clear rules governing the use of footpaths, cycle lanes and bus lanes.

"I have been elected as Mayor with a mandate for change," said Brown in his letter to Donnelly.

Aucklanders opposed Auckland Transport having the power to remove car parks for cycleways and bus lanes. Photo / Alex Burton

Brown has also instructed AT to address the social and economic disruption of removing kerbside parking in town centres and only invest in cycleways where the cost is on par with other cities.

This could signal the end of costly projects on the books, like the $44 million Pt Chevalier to Westmere and $18m Grey Lynn to Westmere cycleways.

In response to the letter, AT Interim chief executive Mark Lambert said the team is looking forward to working constructively with the Mayor, Councillors, Local Boards and communities.

“We agree with the mayor that a new approach is needed to better understand the needs and expectations of our communities, and how we, our decisions and the work we do impacts on people’s daily lives.

“We value the importance of working with Local Boards in decision-making processes for local projects. We will be reviewing how we engage with Local Boards to harness the strong local knowledge sitting within these boards.”

Lambert said the leadership team and the Board will be closely reviewing the expectations set by the mayor in his letter, and “will prepare a formal response addressing the priorities raised”.

“It will take a concerted effort over the next three years from our teams at Auckland Transport, elected members, mana whenua, central Government and our wide range of business and community stakeholders if we are to build a transport network which meets the needs of all Aucklanders and our growing city for decades to come.

“We are committed to giving Aucklanders genuine choices about how they travel across our city, and from here on in we must place a greater focus on Aucklanders’ expectations of us as we work to future-proof our transport system.”

On the campaign trail, Brown said: "Auckland Transport should be told they are there to serve the way we live, not change the way we live."

Only hours after being elected mayor on October 8, AT chairwoman Adrienne Young-Cooper resigned when she got wind that Brown wanted her and the directors gone.

The following day in an exclusive letter to Aucklanders in the Herald on Sunday, Brown said his immediate priority is AT - "there is no council agency which is so important to Aucklanders or one about which you are angrier."

Brown told Donnelly that Aucklanders expect their council to exercise greater democratic control and oversight of AT's transport functions.

"In the coming months, we will engage with you on the formal Statement of Intent process, to reposition AT strategically. For now, this letter sets out my expectations as Mayor about how you will respond to the message that Aucklanders delivered at the election," he said.

Donnelly was told that AT needs to exercise better judgment, as well as listen to and follow the wishes of local communities.

"That includes understanding that AT's decisions impact the lives of people every day. AT must understand the families who are struggling to move around the region: pick up their children, do the groceries, get home safely after dark, and juggle other commitments.

"You must understand the local businesses who rely on transport connections and their needs now and in the future. And you must recognise that the transport network materially impacts Aucklanders' safety – especially at night, for women, for young people, the elderly and for shift workers," the mayor said.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown wants to clarify the rules around cycling, walking and e-scooters. Photo / Michael Craig

Brown said by AT needs to be "focusing on truly understanding how all Aucklanders want to live and the transport services they want to support those aspirations".

"Not just those who participate in formal consultation processes – and then exercising good judgment, AT can make Aucklanders' lives better and easier," he said. "Through decisions that do not reflect the wishes of local communities, you have been making them worse."

Brown also referenced his calls on the campaign trail to put responders of buses to trigger green lights and synchronised traffic lights for general traffic by calling on AT to make greater use of IT to improve traffic flows.

And he called for an end to the sale of council-owned car parking buildings - although this is the responsibility of the council, not AT.