Source: Radio New Zealand
An artists’ visualisation for Auckland Transport of light rail in Mt Roskill. Supplied / Auckland Transport
A public transport advocate, whose Auckland Light Rail submission made it onto the NZ Infrastructure Commission’s list of priorities, said light rail and mass transit needs to be brought back and become part of the supercity’s long-term transport plan.
The multibillion-dollar project was scrapped by the coalition in early 2024, which argued over $200 million had been spent on planning and investigating options, without having achieved any real results.
Connor Sharp, a contributor to the transport advocacy blog Greater Auckland, is the only one to have made a proposal for light rail to the commission’s invitation for its Infrastructure Priorities Programme (IPP).
The commission said while endorsement did not guarantee funding, it did send a strong signal to decision makers about infrastructure priorities.
Sharp’s proposal for ‘mass rapid transit in the city centre to Mangere corridor’ was endorsed at stage 1 of the IPP in December 2025, which meant it’s had been identified as a nationally significant issue.
“I think it’s pretty significant that they’ve endorsed it, especially because I made this as an individual, pretty much every other proposal put forward, endorsed, were done by organisations … I’m pretty stoked they endorsed it.”
Sharp said it was unfortunate the project had become a “hot potato” and over-politicised over the years, particularly at a national level, and he hoped Auckland Council could take up the reigns to advocate for it.
“If we have a lot of councillors and the mayor maybe pick this back up, it would be a lot more productive, and you’re probably trying to avoid a lot of that politicisation issues,”
Advocate Connor Sharp: Build surface rail from City Centre to Mount Roskill first
Meanwhile, Sharp’s proposal for a surface light rail to run from the city centre to Mount Roskill via Dominion Road was declined for stage 2 of the IPP – which called for specific solutions.
Sharp said he still felt this section of light rail needed to be built first, to fill the void of rapid transit connections through the central isthmus, which is leading to congestion.
Sharp said regardless of what the extension to Mangere and the Airport looked like, he hoped this section could be built first.
He said he felt the project fell through previously as decision-makers were trying to do something really big within a limited time they had in government, rather than work through it incrementally.
Sharp said the upcoming transport reforms in 2026 and the development of a 30-year Integrated Transport Plan were opportunties to progress work on light rail.
The opening of the City Rail Link (CRL) in 2026 would also spur people’s expectations of more transit options, he said.
“I think people, once they experience what CRL is going to do, I think they’ll naturally start thinking of what are we going to do next, and there’ll be a few big projects that will come into conversation, and light rail should be one of them from my perspective.”
Mayor has no comment; Councillor delighted with endorsement
Meanwhile, Auckland mayor Wayne Brown declined RNZ’s request for an interview to discuss possibilities for the future of light rail in Auckland.
He also declined to comment on his thoughts on the submission being endorsed by the IPP at stage 1, and whether he would consider renewing discussions around light rail options for Auckland as part of the city’s 30-year ITP.
His office said in a statement: “The mayor has nothing further to add, at this time, in relation to your request.”
Councillor Shane Henderson said he was delighted.
“The message is really clear that there is a huge issue here and we need to move people along this corridor, it’s good to have that recognition from the infrastructure commission.”
Henderson said the council should be keeping light rail in the front of their minds as they worked through the city’s long-term transport plans.
He said it had not been discussed much at the council table since it was canned by the government.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
