Photo: RNZ / Ziming Li
Auckland's mayor and the Minister of Transport agree - the reins need to be tightened on Auckland Transport.
In a 19 July letter from mayor Wayne Brown to Simeon Brown released through the Official Information Act, the two found agreement on reform of transport governance.
Simeon Brown is minister of transport, minister of auckland, and minister of local government.
In the letter, Wayne Brown says they "agreed that the culture of independence pervading Auckland Transport is unacceptable, and that Aucklanders deserve better", and that Auckland Transport should be "purely a delivery agency".
Work is to be done on options to reform Auckland Transport.
The first involves moving responsibility for the Regional Land Transport Plan - currently prepared by Auckland Transport every year, with consultation from the community and approval by Auckland Council - to Auckland Council.
The second is to explore additional powers that could be given to the mayor and Auckland Council to control the transportation authority.
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The third involves repealing or changing part 4 of the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act, removing Auckland Transport's independent role in planning and strategy and making it "purely a delivery agency".
Auckland Transport has a low rate of trust and confidence from the public - coming in just under its target of 30 percent in the last chief executive's report.
And, a bill recently introduced to Parliament's biscuit tin proposed to disestablish Auckland Transport entirely.
Advice on the three options was prepared by Ministry of Transport and Auckland Council officials by the end of August.
In a statement, Auckland Transport said it "welcomes the opportunity for an evidence-based discussion with the governing body about the effectiveness of the [council-controlled organisation] model in delivering services for Auckland, and the chance to consider options for how it can be improved on".
"We will be working very closely with Auckland Council to provide it with advice on each of the options it could consider, ahead of the annual plan being developed."
