Auckland International Airport in New Zealand has urged regional transport planners to step up improvements to airport-related public transport services.
A submission to the Auckland Regional Council on the draft Auckland Regional Land Transport Strategy (RLTS) has been made by the airport authority.
The submission says that plans for a Rapid Transit Network link to the airport should be accelerated instead of the proposed time frame of 2031–2040 as given in the draft RLTS.
The airport urged that public transport services be put in place prior to 2020 and to be upgraded to Quality Transit Network (QTN) standards to offer connectivity to the airport from the CBD and North Shore regions.
The airport submission says that there is no commitment in the RLTS to create a direct connection to the CBD and other centres for QTN and private transport.
Public transport connections to the Airport are weak by international standards which is a reason for low patronage, the airport said.
The airport did admit, however, that road infrastructure had improved along with bus services.
