Finance Minister Bill English and Transport Minister Simon Bridges have released a joint report with Auckland Council which sets out a direction for the development of Auckland’s transport system over the next 30 years.

“This report marks the culmination of the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) which has involved the Government and Auckland Council working closely together over the last year to develop an aligned strategic approach, including an indicative package of transport investment,” Mr English said.

“Over the last 15 years, the Government and Auckland Council’s combined annual transport investment in Auckland has increased from $500 million to $2.1 billion. This has allowed us to keep pace with the challenges which have stemmed from strong population growth.

“However, Auckland’s population is set to grow by 700,000 people in the next 30 years and our findings show congestion is set to get worse under current plans. It’s essential that we prioritise new and better infrastructure to deliver value for money and address these challenges.”

The report outlines the type and amount of investment likely to be needed over the next 30 years.

More information, including the final report, is available at www.transport.govt.nz/atap.