The future of Auckland’s light rail looks bleak after the new Transport Minister confirmed the Government has basically gone back to the drawing board on a project that was supposed to be delivered this year, National’s Transport Spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says.

The only progress Michael Wood could confirm in select committee today was that the Government had asked the Transport Ministry for “more advice” on the next steps following the end of Phil Twyford’s failed twin-track bidding process last year, Mr Woodhouse says.

“Light rail from Auckland’s CBD to the airport was Labour’s flagship election policy in 2017. It was supposed to be up and running to Mt Roskill this year, but that dream is in tatters.

“After more than three years in government, Labour still has no idea when the project will start, what it will cost, what route it will follow, what type of light rail it will be, and how many passengers it will take.

“This is a humiliating failure for a Government that has no idea how to deliver large-scale transport infrastructure.”