Chief Executive's Report

I’m extremely proud of Auckland Transport’s operating performance in 2021. We started the year with huge uncertainty and needing to adapt as a result of COVID-19. Statement of Intent targets and budgets were set, as they were across the whole Council whanau, on the assumption that there would be no more lockdowns. Hindsight tells us that this was not to be and it makes our operational and financial performance even more impressive.

There has been a lot packed into the year. Aside from delivering a wide range of day-to-day services, delivery of new infrastructure and technology, working with other government agencies on the 2021 Auckland Transport Alignment Project and producing the Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan 2021-2031, we have also advocated on behalf of Aucklanders on the large amount of policy reform proposed by Central Government. Moving forward, we’re mindful that Aucklanders want a transport system and great urban spaces, and will continue to seize opportunities to step up and deliver. COVID-19 and Auckland Council’s review of Council Controlled Organisations have seen us develop closer relationships with elected members, our supply chain partners and our people. Our ability to deliver through the last 18 months has been based on this and has provided a stronger foundation for moving forward. One particular highlight has been the support we’ve received from our funders, Council, Waka Kotahi and also Crown Infrastructure Partners. They showed leadership and helped AT to support the economic recovery, to protect jobs and continue to deliver the transport system Tāmaki Makaurau desperately needs. We’ve just come to the end of a three-year cycle of the Long Term Plan and Regional Land Transport Plan. In line with that, Aucklanders are now the beneficiary of some fantastic new services, infrastructure, public spaces and mahi toi: completing the Downtown programme (which included the Te Wananga project, Quay Street transformation, and the upgrade of the city ferry terminal), the Restoration of Kennedy Point and Te Onewa Northcote Point wharf, New Hibiscus Coast Station, Puhinui Station upgrade, Karangahape Road enhancement and multiple new cycleways. It also signals the ongoing betterment and development of our region. The next three-year cycle period is going to be extremely challenging as we make further progress. Excitement is starting to build with the City Rail Link taking shape, the Urban Cycleway programme being completed, and massive improvements are being made to fast and frequent rapid transit services: The Eastern Busway between Pakuranga and Panmure the Norther Busway extension to Albany, and improvements for buses in the northwest on SH16 with new bus interchange facilities. Building upon work that started with the opening of the Britomart Transport Interchange in 2003, AT has delivered a transformational evolution of the transport system since its inception a decade ago. Our capital programme, excluding the City Rail Link, has doubled in the last five years. It’s led to trips on buses, trains and ferries growing by nearly 60% over the last seven years, a big growth in trips on bikes, and contributed to a 35% reduction in deaths and serious injuries on our road network between 2017 and 2020.

In spite of this, the number of kilometres Aucklanders travel in their cars has grown at a faster rate in the past three years than it has overall in the past 10 years. Our successful investment in the public transport network and safe cycling infrastructure is offset by the challenge of travel in internal combustion engine vehicles as we look at greenhouse gas emissions and congestion over time. Aucklanders have long been deprived of transport choices, but at AT we’re not messing around in making up for the time lost prior to this century. We are, and have to, continue at pace to address Auckland’s transport challenges. But this won’t be enough to tackle the big problems like climate change, productivity and the safety of people on our network. Auckland needs fit for purpose policy and regulatory systems to support behaviour changes that contibute to solving these big problems. In 2020/21 we’ve signalled to Auckland Council and Central Government that reform in this area is crucial.

This Annual Report is testament to our joint commitment in delivering a world class transport network that is safe, connected, well-maintained, delivers value for money and easy journeys for people travelling throughout Auckland, and signals an acceleration in our response to climate change.

He waka eke noa

Shane Ellison