Impact of Transit's tolling proposal on airport

13 October 2006

Impact of Transit's tolling proposal on airport access needs careful scrutiny

Auckland International Airport Limited (AIAL) welcomes Transit's initiative to improve travel time reliability on the Western Ring Route. However the company cautions that it will need to take a closer look at the details of the proposal before supporting it.

Transit's toll proposal for the Western Ring Route indicates that people travelling to and from the airport will have a choice between a faster tolled route and a slower 'free' route.

AIAL will be studying the details of the tolling proposal once all public documentation and technical data become available, says chief executive officer Don Huse.

"While tolls are commonplace on routes to airports in other first world cities, it will be vital that Transit's proposal does not disadvantage people working at the airport and travelling to it to catch a plane.

"There is no debate that Auckland and New Zealand urgently needs the Western Ring Route completed as soon as possible and access to the airport improved for sound economic and social reasons. The airport acts as a key hub in the movement of significant numbers of people and volumes of good into and out of Auckland."

The demand for travel to the Airport is projected to double over the next 10 years. AIAL is working with territorial, regional and government planners to foster improved road and public transport infrastructure to enhance airport access, including development of a more efficient connection with central Auckland and key regional hubs.

AIAL will be carefully examining Transit's tolling proposal to ensure it helps improve the overall reliability and efficiency of airport access, says Mr Huse.

Auckland Airport is New Zealand's international gateway, handling more than 70 percent of the country's international passengers. It is the second-largest cargo port by value in New Zealand. The airport handles 11 million passengers a year, and around 154,000 aircraft movements. The number of passenger movements is projected to be 24 million by 2025. ends For further information, please contact:

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