Chair’s Report

The 2020/21 financial year was an extraordinary year with many unpredictable events. This time last year we thought the COVID-19 pandemic would have passed, however ongoing Auckland lockdowns created an uncertain and complex operating environment that required Auckland Transport to be agile, innovative and able to respond quickly on an ongoing basis.

We could not have predicted the combined impact working from home, fewer international students or international tourists in Auckland, and changed COVID-19 related travel behaviours would have on public transport patronage and private vehicle use. Our high quality emergency planning and operations expanded to include scenario and resilience planning on an ongoing basis, on the understanding we needed to expect the unexpected. We also prioritised and delivered 96% of a reasonably large capital programme, which is no mean feat. Auckland Council has shown continuing confidence in AT’s delivery by prioritising and funding a growing capital programme over the Long Term Plan period of $820 million in 2021/22 to $1.2 billion in 2030/31. The ‘team of five million’ COVID-19 response involving the New Zealand Government, Auckland Council, Aucklanders and AT managed to keep our transport system operating because we were all clear that our main objective was to eliminate the virus. What is clear now is that it will be at least another year before we know how the pandemic will evolve and impact our population and economy. In the meantime we acknowledge and are thankful for the high level of support from both Council and Government enabling AT to continue providing the transport services Aucklanders expect to move around freely and safely. This joined up and aligned vision has flowed through to other areas of our business. Auckland is rapidly growing in population and density. The combined distance Aucklanders are travelling by private car within the region is also increasing. The measure of Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) in Auckland increased 28% between 2009 and 2019. If Auckland, and New Zealand, is going to meet ambitious transport-related climate emission reduction targets set by Auckland Council and the Government, this number will need to flatline and drop over the next eight years through a wide range of methods and approaches. This year AT produced a $36 billion 10-year Regional Land Transport Plan working with Auckland Council, KiwiRail and Waka Kotahi to renew and operate Auckland’s transport system. This investment is impressive, but the plan is barely keeping up with the scale of growth in Auckland and in the first 10 years does not provide all the answers to rapidly decarbonise the transport system in Auckland. This year over 50% of AT's capital and operating programme was funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, through the National Land Transport Fund, and the Crown through a COVID-19 Response funding, which along with effective management over expenditure enabled AT to achieve a positive surplus before tax of $647.9 million. This was $27.1 million favourable to budget and delivered $729.3 million of investment activity. Going forward AT still faces funding challenges with public transport patronage to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels, and Waka Kotahi have signalled significant funding constraints that have the potential to seriously impact the delivery of our growing programmes of activity. The AT Board bid farewell to Dame Paula Rebstock this year. On behalf of the Board, the people of AT and all Aucklanders, thank you for your valued service. The Board was joined by Abbie Reynolds and Tommy Parker in December.

I would like to pay tribute to the late Sir Michael Cullen, who served as an AT Board member between 2017 and 2019. He was a man of huge integrity and intellect, and has left many legacies. I would also like to acknowledge and thank all AT staff for the part they played during a really tough year.

Ngā mihi

Adrienne-Young Cooper

CHAIR, AUCKLAND TRANSPORT