Auckland Transport says it has delivered on 18 of 19 statement of intent (SOI) targets agreed by Auckland Council for the 2023/2024 year.
The targets include maintaining travel times, improving public transport reliability, road safety and AT’s carbon emissions.
It was among key highlights of its 2023/2024 annual report released on September 6.
AT board chair Richard Leggat says over the past year there has been a huge amount of change in the organisation and the political landscape.
“Reading the annual report reinforced to me just how much AT has delivered in the face of wider social and economic changes and challenges,” he says.
The one target AT did not meet this year was for listening and responding to Aucklanders – Leggat says this is a work in progress and a big focus for the organisation.
“AT is focused on getting the basics right and regaining the trust and confidence of Aucklanders by making simple, practical changes.”
Among cost-saving measures, this includes the removal of 2600 redundant road cones, signs and sandbags from the network, saving around $1.3 million.
Other delivery highlights for the year include:
- Resurfacing 407kms of sealed roads
- Constructing 46kms of new roads
- AT has now repaired 564 of the 821 significantly flood-damaged sites
- AT delivered its biggest capital programme ever, with $1.043 billion of direct capital budget invested
2023/24 was also a year of public transport patronage returning towards pre-covid levels.
Public transport trips in Auckland increased by 22%, from 71 million trips last year to 87 million trips this year.
AT’s public transport initiatives for the year included:
- Recruiting 578 bus drivers by August 2023, ending Auckland’s bus driver shortage and improving reliability for customers
- Launched the Western Express bus service, which has already had over 500,000 passenger trips
- Added 90 new electric buses to the existing fleet, meaning Auckland now has the most electric buses in Australasia
- Reached 40 frequent public transport routes, compared to just nine in 2016
- Fitted 30 new intersections with bus booster technology, enabling late-running buses to get green lights
“Aucklanders have told AT and Auckland Council their priorities are public transport and reducing congestion,” Leggat says.
“We understand that and are committed to making it easier to move around Auckland.”
Over the next financial year, AT plans to:
- Continue eliminating redundant road cones
- Make better use of road space
- Give Aucklanders more ways to pay with contactless payments
- Fix more potholes and reseal more roads
- Bring in 20 new electric trains
- Prepare for City Rail Link by testing new trains and train lines
- Continue progress on the Eastern Busway
- Listen and respond to what Aucklanders are saying
*AT’s full annual report for 2023/2024 can be viewed here.
