“Don’t Let it Die”: Advocate Demands Scrapped Light Rail Become Auckland’s Long-Term Reality
By Lions Roar News National Desk
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (December 26, 2025) – Just months before the landmark City Rail Link (CRL) is set to transform Auckland’s train network, a leading transport advocate is calling for the “ghost of light rail” to be brought back from the dead. Despite the multi-billion dollar project being scrapped by the coalition government in early 2024, it has recently resurfaced in national infrastructure priorities, sparking a fresh debate over the city’s 30-year transport vision.
🏛️ A Surprise Endorsement: Light Rail “Nationally Significant”
The push comes from Connor Sharp, a contributor to the advocacy group Greater Auckland. In a move that has surprised many in the Beehive, Sharp’s individual proposal for “mass rapid transit” between the City Centre and Māngere was officially endorsed by the NZ Infrastructure Commission (Te Waihanga) earlier this month.
- Stage 1 Status: The commission has identified the corridor as a “nationally significant issue,” giving the project a new layer of technical legitimacy despite its political cancellation.
- The Advocate’s View: Sharp argues that while the previous government “over-politicized” and “mismanaged” the project by trying to build an expensive tunnelled “metro,” a simplified, surface-level light rail remains the only logical solution for the congested isthmus.
“I think people, once they experience what CRL is going to do in 2026, will naturally start thinking about what we do next,” Sharp said. “Light rail should be at the front of that conversation.”
🏗️ The Plan: A “Staged” Approach
Advocates are urging the Auckland Council to take the lead where the central government stepped back. They propose a more manageable, incremental rollout:
- Stage One: Surface-level light rail from the City Centre to Mt Roskill via Dominion Road (estimated at roughly 9km).
- The Cost: By ditching tunnels, advocates estimate the cost could be slashed to approximately $1.35 billion to $2 billion, compared to the $15 billion+ “gold-plated” versions previously discussed.
- The Integration: The project would integrate into the upcoming 30-Year Integrated Transport Plan being developed for 2026.
🥊 The Political “Hot Potato”
The project remains a sensitive topic. Transport Minister Simeon Brown previously labelled the light rail plans a “wasteful blowout,” noting that $228 million was spent on planning without a single metre of track being laid.
Meanwhile, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has expressed support for surface light rail in the past but has recently focused on lower-cost “quick fixes” like dynamic lanes and busway optimisations.
| Project Status | Details |
| Original Plan | Cancelled Jan 2024 (Estimated $15B – $29B) |
| Current Proposal | Surface-level Light Rail (Estimated $1.5B – $2B) |
| Current Support | Endorsed by Infrastructure Commission (Stage 1) |
| Next Major Milestone | Opening of City Rail Link (Late 2026) |
