Director to sort out rail problems

By CATHY ARONSON transport reporter

An independent director will be appointed to sort out Auckland's troubled rail project.

A report by consultants Sir Ron Carter and Bill Grieve has concluded that a director needs to urgently take control of providing an adequate train service when the Britomart railway station opens next July.

The two groups doing the job at present have failed to work together, the report says.

The authors criticised the Auckland Regional Council, in charge of passenger transport, and the Auckland Regional Transport Network Ltd (ARTNL), set up by six of Auckland's seven councils to manage rail infrastructure.

The ARC commissioned the report after criticism of its role in providing a new train service for Auckland.

Councils in the region and the funding body Infrastructure Auckland wanted ARTNL to take the lead role in delivering the rail project.

Sir Ron says one body will oversee the rail project eventually but in the meantime the two sides must work with the director to meet the short-term goals.

The region needs to upgrade rundown trains and stations urgently to meet an expected 20 per cent increase in commuters when Britomart opens.

The ARC is yet to order seven former Queensland Rail SX carriages and five diesel rail motors and choose an operator.

It must also choose another 25 to 30 two-car trains to make sure they arrive in time for mid-2005.

The ARC and ARTNL chief executives will appoint a director within two weeks so they can make joint decisions on the trains.

They will also know within two weeks if ARTNL or the Crown will own the trains, as the ARC cannot legally own them.

ARTNL's incoming chief executive, Martin Gummer, said it was yet to consider the report fully but it agreed with the need for a director to take the project forward.

ARC chief executive Jo Brosnahan said the two groups had co-operated but were not co-ordinated.

They needed to approve the first stage of a business plan rather than trying to agree on the whole project for the next 10 years.

She said working as one team would strengthen its position for finance from Infrastructure Auckland.

Infrastructure Auckland had wanted the ARC to present a business plan with projected passengers, costs and risks for the rail project before it gave money.

Infrastructure Auckland transport manager Geoff Goodwin said it would accept a business plan for the immediate needs while awaiting one for the larger project.

"We are committed to working with the region to make rapid progress on the rail project."

Further reading
Feature: Getting Auckland moving

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