The Rail Advocacy Collective (TRAC) believes that it is time for the government to call time on the plan to build light rail to Mangere and the airport. TRAC Chair, Guy Wellwood says, “New Zealand does not have endless funds for transport infrastructure and these funds need to be carefully allotted to the best projects which will provide the best results”. TRAC believes that extending the already existing Onehunga Line to Mangere Bridge, Bader Drive, the Mangere Employment Hub (MEH) and the airport, before reconnecting with the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) at Wiri will provide a vast level of connectivity for commuting workers from all over Auckland but especially those workers who live or work in South Auckland. This line will serve South Auckland workers the best though. It will also have the added advantage of connecting the airport with large parts of Auckland and areas outside of Auckland.

National Coordinator of TRAC, Niall Robertson, says, “... this would be a win, win, win for the people of Mangere working in Te Papapa, Penrose, Ellerslie, Newmarket and the CBD and for workers from Papakura, Takanini and Manurewa who work at the airport and the MEH.

Wellwood says “It’s time to fit the right mode to the right job so we can have a connected up functional rapid and mass transit system for the people of Auckland and visitors to Auckland” TRAC believes that it is time that Auckland realises that its railway is linked to the rest of the country. TRAC also believes that light rail to Mt Roskill is a must, but to Mangere makes no sense.

Robertson says, “With a potential freight line being required from Avondale to Southdown, links to West Auckland become possible as well as links to light rail at Dominion Rd and Maiora Rd. TRAC believes that the government should adopt the higher BCR’s of the Onehunga to Wiri and Avondale to Southdown connections over the relatively low light rail BCR.

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