Light rail in Auckland

Auckland light rail
Overview
Area servedAuckland, New Zealand
Transit typeLight rail
Number of lines1
Websitewww.lightrail.co.nz
Technical
System length24 km (14.9 mi)

Between 2015 and 2023, Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, considered introducing light rail lines to replace some of its most heavily used bus routes.[1] Many of these new light rail lines would have reused the routes of Auckland's former tram system.[2] Light rail systems have been proposed in Auckland throughout the late-20th and early 21st centuries following the closure of the tram system in the 1950s.[2]

In 2015, the city's transport agency Auckland Transport proposed a new light rail network - with a focus on a line between the Auckland CBD and Auckland Airport.[1] In subsequent years, various technology types and modes were proposed by local and central government - including traditional street tramways and light metro. The most recent form of the project, proposed by the Sixth Labour Government, would have seen the construction of a hybrid underground/surface route.[3] The project was cancelled by the National-led coalition government in January 2024.[4]

  1. ^ a b Barrett, Keith (23 January 2015). "Auckland to launch light rail study". International Railway Journal. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Light rail gets thumbs up from opposition". 3 News. 24 January 2015. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  3. ^ Worthington, Samantha. "Auckland to get partially tunnelled CBD to airport light rail". 1 News. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  4. ^ "National-led government officially cancels Auckland Light Rail plans". Radio New Zealand. 14 January 2024. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.