Local roading improvements, smartcard and bus improvements focus of transport programme for next year

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) released its third Draft Auckland Land Transport Programme (Auckland LTP) for consultation today.

Highlights of the programme include:

• The design and construction of the electronic smartcard integrated ticketing system.
  
• Train seat capacity will be increased to 7,550 seats as a result of additional and longer trains in service. Additional evening and weekend services will be added to the timetable.
  
• Bus service improvements will be implemented on Remuera Road, Mt Eden Road, Dominion Road and Flat Bush developments to align with the implementation of bus priority and infrastructure improvements.

Key expenditure items identified in the Draft 2008/09 Auckland LTP include:

• $193.5 M for maintenance and renewal of local roads
  
• $190.2 M for passenger transport operations
  
• $183.8 M for road improvement projects
  
• $25.8 M for system use activities (walking/cycling, travel demand management, community programmes)
  
• $31.7 M for passenger transport capital projects
  

ARTA's Chief Executive, Fergus Gammie says, "As the co-ordinator of the Auckland LTP, ARTA has a responsibility to allocate funding to those projects that best work towards resolving the region's transport problems.

“In offering an integrated programme of transport services, improvements and maintenance, the Auckland LTP is providing a regionally prioritised programme to move Auckland's transport system forward.

“As ARTA moves into its third year of operation as Auckland’s regional transport authority, a perceptible shift in the way the region approaches transport is evident. Integration of planning and implementation, leading to much better use of resources, the prioritisation and more timely execution of transport projects, was one of the aims in setting up ARTA.

“This is now well on the way to being achieved with the region’s transport organisations working together on large scale priority transport projects such as the second Waitemata Harbour crossing and the milestone Northern Busway project.

“The Draft 2008/09 Auckland LTP builds on this co-ordinated approach to transport planning which is a palpable shift from years gone by.

"This Draft LTP is now out for consultation and gives Aucklanders an opportunity to tell us if they believe we are heading in the right direction. This feedback will help ensure that transport project funding applications are appropriately prioritised relative to each other. This will help improve Auckland’s transport system,” says Mr Gammie.

A PDF of the Draft Auckland Land Transport Programme 2008/09 can be found on www.arta.co.nz . Submissions for this year's consultation process close at 4pm on Monday 21 January 2008.

ENDS

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