4. Question No. 4—TransportHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 4—Transport4. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of Transport: What estimates has he seen on the cost of light rail from Auckland City centre to Māngere?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): Light rail will be able to carry 11000 commuters per hour the equivalent of four lanes of motorway through the middle of one of the most built-up parts of Auckland and connect commuters to two of the biggest concentrations of jobs in the country. The most recent cost estimate that I've seen is around $4 billion. However it's important to note that the business case and final design will provide more certainty on the final cost.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he agree with his colleague the Minister for Infrastructure's comment last week in the select committee in relation to the Auckland light rail project I'm told Mr Goldsmith that it could cost $3.8 billion to put a new harbour bridge over Waitematā; let's just say that." and then "I'm also told that a light rail project could be double that."?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I think that might have been lost in translation. I almost always agree with my colleague the Minister for Infrastructure and I'm sure if we had a correct account of what he'd said in the context I would agree with it.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he agree with this statement from the same Minister in relation to the project "But as to where the money will come from I haven't been to date a part of any detailed discussions in that regard and I think we're quite some way off that."?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well we are indeed quite some way off it. There's a business case process that's under way there's a procurement process that's under way and we've always made it clear that there's $1.8 billion in the Auckland Transport Alignment Project in the National Land Transport Fund essentially as seed finance but it's our full expectation that the light rail project will be subject to some kind of private financing arrangement.Hon Paul Goldsmith: What success does he think he'll have in persuading Kiwis that light rail halfway down Dominion Road is the right priority for spending billions of dollars if he hasn't yet persuaded his coalition partners?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I think we have persuaded coalition partners. It's the Government's policy to build this project and as for persuading Kiwis Aucklanders don't need any persuading that our city needs a modern rapid transit network that provides 21st century public transport across the city and allows people to move around on a daily basis and get access to the things that they need whether it's work or education. They understand that simply adding more lanes to the existing motorway network which was the policy of the former Government won't cut it.Hon Paul Goldsmith: How many Aucklanders has he met who have agreed with his proposition that a slight improvement to the public transport offering down Dominion Road is the No. 1 transport priority in Auckland?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: It's one of a number of priorities. I know the member likes to caricature the light rail project as a slow tram down Dominion Road but it is about building a rapid transit network that joins together with the heavy rail network and the rapid transit Northern Busway to move tens of thousands of people around the city at peak hour in a way that the road network can never do.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Just how fast is this rapid transit?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: That is actually something that is going to be considered as part of the business case and design process but I'll say this to the member: speed in rapid transit is important because if you want commuters to choose public transport and leave their car at home you have to provide a fast and efficient service. That is the priority outcome of the business case and design process.Hon Paul Goldsmith: What is his definition of "rapid"?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well when we talk about rapid transit we're talking about public transit that doesn't compete with cars and moves a lot faster than the current motorway network in Auckland which we've inherited which is jam-packed at peak hour and condemns Aucklanders to daily gridlock."