More intensification in Auckland? Yes Please
The following is an op-ed I wrote which ran in the Sunday Star Times and The Post on March 8th 2026. Yesterday, Auckland Council agreed on principles to guide a review of PC120 after the government amended the plan. Everyone agrees we need more housing in Auckland, and that it’s best located near transport options, and places people work, study and shop.…
Comment The Hidden Details of AT’s CRL Timetable Test
Auckland Transport tested their planned City Rail Link timetable in January, and it wasn’t a success. We know they plan to make some changes before their next test run in April. In the meantime, a close look at the tested timetable reveals some useful insights into their approach – and some concerning details when it comes to how the timetable will actually work for the people who’ll be relying on it.…
Weekly Roundup 6-March-2026
Here’s our weekly roundup of things that caught our eye this week. We’ve had a busy week ourselves, with some big posts attracting wider coverage – on brand for March Madness! This week in Greater Auckland On Monday Patrick laid out why CRL should be a transformational metro – and why this requires a different approach to the network
On Tuesday, we had Connor’s deep dive into the $22,000,000,000 Northern Expressway.…
A CRL defeat from the jaws of victory?
The opening of City Rail Link later this year should be a momentous occasion for Auckland and as we’ve highlighted many times before, one that should help transform Auckland. But increasingly, we’re worried that Auckland Transport are about to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory.…
We-told-you-so Wednesday: “the RoNS clause”
A comment on yesterday’s eye-catching post by Connor about the skyrocketing costs of the Roads of National Significance programme (and the enormous opportunity cost it represents), made a request:
It would be good to have a post from Greater Auckland on the National Infrastructure Plan.…
$22,000,000,000 on just one road?
Last year, I posted about the challenges I faced, trying to daylight public-interest information about the government’s Roads of National Significance programme. As I wrote then, entire documents – including even titles – were being withheld on what looked to me like flimsy grounds.…
A Metro for Auckland?
The City Rail Link (CRL) is routinely described as transformational. An overused term for infrastructure projects, but one that is surely appropriate in this case – as you’d hope, given the size of the investment. $5.5b ought to get us something truly new, not just another lane and more traffic.…
Weekly Roundup 27-February-2026
Welcome to another roundup of all things cities, we can’t believe it’s already the last Friday of February. How time flies! This week in Greater Auckland On Monday we ran Connor’s op-ed on what is going wrong with the next Auckland Harbour Crossing
On Wednesday Matt did a deep dive into the Northwest busway fast track application
On Thursday Jolisa asked for help to make sure AT gets it right on Green Lane West This roundup, like all our work, is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers and fans.…
Help Auckland Transport get it right on Green Lane West
NOTE: on Friday 27 February we received an update on this project from Auckland Transport – you can scroll to the bottom of the post to read it.
Picture this.
You’re a Council, keen for more housing in a compact, liveable city.…
NW Busway Fast Track Application
The Northwest Busway is one of Auckland’s most important upcoming transport projects. In April last year it was announced that the NZTA board had approved an investment case for the project and that more work would happen on design with the aim of getting designations for the busway, likely via the Fast Track process.…
Processing...