Auckland Transport’s former chief executive, Shane Ellison, has been appointed to the board of Auckland Light Rail.
ALR Ltd chair, Dame Fran Wilde, said Ellison brought extensive and valued experience to the light rail team at a time when work on the project was rapidly moving ahead.
“His knowledge of the transport challenges facing Auckland together with his work overseas are great assets for a modern and future focussed project,” she said.
Ellison joined Auckland Transport as chief executive in 2017 and resigned in June 2022. He had previously worked in Australia and France for Transdev, one of the world’s largest transport operators.
“It’s great to be part of an Auckland Light Rail project that is going to be so positive for the city and the people who live here,” he said.
Ellison joins two other appointments made to the ALR Board late last year – lawyer Heather Ash, a former partner with the Simpson Grierson law firm, and Leo Foliaki, a chartered accountant who has experience working with large and complex projects.
Features of the chosen light rail option include:
- 24km route with up to 18 stations or stops from the City Centre to Māngere and the airport, running every five minutes so people can turn up and go.
- Capability to carry up to 15,000 passengers per hour at peak, which is four times more passengers than a dedicated busway or trackless trams.
- Removal of up to 13 car lanes or taking 12,000 cars off the road, which is a great result for local streets, communities and carbon emissions.
- Integration with current train and bus hubs and the City Rail Link stations and connections. Light rail can also be extended to the North Shore and North West without having to transfer from one line to the other.
- Estimated building of up to 66,000 new homes by 2051 and opening up housing along the corridor in Mt Roskill, Onehunga and Māngere.
- Creation of up to 97,000 new jobs by 2051.