NZ InfraWatch
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TRANSPORT
Auckland Light Rail — Cancelled
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency · Auckland
Proposed light rail from Auckland CBD south through Dominion Rd to Airport and northwest to Kumeu/Huapai. Two competing designs reached procurement stage before National cancelled in December 2023 after coming to power.
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Cancelled
No longer proceeding.
Key facts
- Region
- Auckland
- Sector
- Transport
- Status
- Cancelled
- Estimated value
- $14.6b
- Indicative completion
- TBC
- Funding status
- No Source
- Lead organisation
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
- Election risk
- Extreme
Election risk assessment
Cancelled by National-led government in late 2023. Would require Labour/Green government to reinstate.
Government priority alignment
COUNTER — Cancelled. Light rail runs counter to the roads-focused GPS 2024.
Chronology
- 2016ATAP report recommends rapid transit corridor on Dominion Rd to airport as Auckland's top priority
- 2018Government announces light rail to airport. Procurement begins. Cost estimated $1.8–3.4B
- 2019Three consortia shortlisted. NZTA and NZ Infra Commission both develop competing designs
- 2021Labour restarts project after COVID pause; NZTA and HUD develop joint preferred option
- 2022Preferred option confirmed: tunnelled light metro to airport. Cost rises to $14.6B
- 2023National wins election promising to cancel light rail. Project cancelled December 2023