Government announces changes to New Zealand Upgrade Programme

Today the Government has made decisions on the New Zealand Upgrade Programme that will change some projects in southern Auckland.

To meet climate change and housing objectives, as well as manage cost increases and debt responsibly following COVID-19, the Government has decided to make the following changes:  

• Mill Road will become a smaller scale project. The Government has decided on a new scope that will deliver a two lane northern section of Mill Road (Flat Bush to Alfriston, with safety improvements in the existing corridor in Takaanini) between Papakura and Drury upgrade SH1 and provide a shared path, and invest in Drury local transport upgrades, including walking and cycling and public transport connections, that support enabling additional housing.
  
  
• The existing proposals for the three sections (Takaanini, Papakura and Drury) of the Mill Road project and the Papakura to Drury South Stage Two project, including Drury South interchange, will not be progressed as part of the Government’s New Zealand Upgrade Programme.
  
  
• The Government has increased the level of rail investment to allow construction of three new rail stations in addition to rail electrification and a third rail line.

Read more about the changes to south Auckland projects here.(external link)(external link)

Find out more information about the changes to the New Zealand Upgrade Programme(external link)

Further investigations and work is needed to confirm the next steps on the changed projects. This will take time but Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail will continue to work closely with partners, communities and potentially affected landowners on projects thatare changing to establish what this means for them.