Joel Cayford: Auckland's central roadblock

There's nothing like the threat of a central government reorganisation of Auckland local government to focus mayors and councillors.

For the last couple of months the region has buzzed with proposals ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Enough of that, Wellington now advises, it's time for Auckland to build consensus around one plan. If we don't do it to ourselves, we are warned, Wellington will do it to us.

In my time as chair of Transport Policy I have learned the extent to which Wellington pulls Auckland's transport strings already.

Sure, there are things Auckland can do better, but unless Wellington's influence is changed, we can only rearrange the deck chairs as the good ship Auckland stays on course for gridlock, poor public transport, and more sprawl.

Auckland's fundamental transport problem is the sheer number of cars. This is mainly caused by Government reluctance to support public transport - and Government subsidies for the motorist.

Take the cost of accidents for example. Third party insurance is compulsory just about everywhere else in the world.

However, New Zealand offers 16-year-olds the opportunity to be on the road legally at 100 km/h, uninsured, in a registered Jap import worth $500, for the price of a few litres of petrol.

Traffic accidents are a drain on the economy mainly paid for by private insurance and ACC premiums, but leaving over $670 million to be met through taxation. This is a significant subsidy for high risk drivers and is a cost shared by every taxpayer.

Today Wellington's influence on Auckland transport extends much deeper.

Last year, after much consultation and advice, Auckland prepared its Regional Land Transport Strategy. Oddly, Auckland-specific legislation now stipulates strategy cannot mention "projects". This means Auckland's transport strategy was prevented from prioritising road, state highway or passenger transport projects.

However, Auckland's strategy was able to recommend how funding should be allocated and advised that about $1 billion should be reallocated away from state highways, and targeted at renewing public transport.

But Wellington kept the whip hand by legislating that Transit and transport funder Land Transport New Zealand only need to "consider" or "take account" of Auckland's transport strategy.

Why have a strategy if it can be largely ignored by Government transport agencies, and it can't even mention projects?

Which brings me to the western ring road project - an excellent example of how transport governance really works.

Despite being prevented from mentioning projects, the central implication of Auckland's regionally agreed transport strategy is that long overdue public transport investment should have higher priority than the construction of the Avondale section of State Highway 20 - given available budgets.

But Wellington didn't like this decision. Instead Wellington wanted State Highway 20's completion accelerated, and rail electrification plans delayed.

Shortage of money to build state highways was no problem to Wellington either. It has instructed Transit to sell road tolling to Auckland. Our state highway authority is out singing for its supper.

This begs a few questions: Why have an Auckland transport strategy if the Government can force through the exact opposite? Auckland's strategic recommendations were the result of complying with the Land Transport Management Act. Is Wellington subject to different laws? Does Wellington really want to strengthen Auckland's regional governance of transport?

A couple of years ago, Wellington and Auckland worked together and built a chunk of Auckland-specific legislation - Auckland's own Local Government Amendment Act. This gave us the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA). A good thing.

But it also gave Auckland a toothless regional land transport strategy. And it did little to provide it with the means to fund the sort of passenger transport systems Auckland desperately needs.

I acknowledge the progress ARTA has made - increasing rail patronage and starting the Northern Express bus service. But there are obstacles to further improvement.

For five years at least Wellington has been asked to change bus procurement legislation so that Auckland can have a transferable ticket system. I am advised Wellington is sitting on draft legislation right now.

Meanwhile Auckland's hands are tied, and bus and ferry users remain frustrated without an integrated ticket.

If it really wanted to, Wellington could strengthen Auckland transport governance and effectiveness relatively easily. Here is a short shopping list:

* Fix the Transport Services Licensing Act now and permit integrated ticketing.

* Permit Auckland's transport strategy to prioritise transport projects.

* Require Transit and Land Transport New Zealand to give effect to Auckland's regionally agreed transport strategy.

* Enable Auckland to implement its regionally agreed transport strategy.

And by the way, a regional fuel tax of around 5 cents a litre would go a long way to meeting the funding gap for passenger transport investment. (Now would be a good time with petrol almost 30 cents a litre cheaper than it was a month ago.)

And if Wellington really wants to make a difference to traffic congestion, give some thought to compulsory third party insurance.

* Joel Cayford is Auckland Regional Council transport policy chairman.