Auckland light rail cancellation ‘major setback’ for Māngere

Plans for installing Auckland’s light rail were scrapped over the weekend, dashing hopes of reinvigorating local businesses around proposed stations across Māngere.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was cancelling Auckland's multi-billion dollar light rail project as part of its 100-day plan.

Māngere–Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich says scrapping Auckland's light rail project is a major setback for the suburb.

“We envisioned that the light rail would have brought in the interest, investors that may have looked at a total, new outlook for Māngere Town Centre.

“But also to transport our people to the inner city, all our people that work there, do school or do tertiary training, it was going to cut the travel time in half.”

Transport blog Greater Auckland says it’s a blow for locals who have been excited about this for years.

“I do feel for the community here, especially given the level of support they have given this project. It will probably feel a lot like a bait-and-switch situation as the community have been presented with multiple images of light rail being right in the town centre from the start of this latest process.”

Auckland Light Rail plans showed up to four stations across Māngere. Photo/Auckland Light Rail

Manukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina told Radio New Zealand it’s disappointing news.

“With the airport, we know that a lot of our community who work there live in Māngere.”

Filipaina hopes the concept will be revived eventually, in line with transport development in other countries.

“If you look around the world, light rail and rail to the airport is crucial.”

Over the past six years, $228 million dollars has been spent on the project, with original plans to go through town centre later changed to align with the motorway for “a more reliable service and faster travel times”.

The Greater Auckland blog says discussion about light rail is likely to come back, but probably not for a “decade or more”.

“The reality is, the factors behind the need for it still exist, such as that there is only limited space in the city centre for more buses.

“Reductions in public transport use since COVID have brought probably a few years reprieve, but usage is rising again and will eventually get back to, and exceed, those pre-pandemic levels and that will reignite the discussion about higher capacity options.”