Mass Rapid Transit Talking Points 2026

Scale up over decades

Treasury’s 2024 revisions to discount rates for cost–benefit analysis let planners take a longer term view of infrastructure projects. The revisions lift the present value of long-term benefits, making on-street light rail (capacity 3000–9000 passengers per hour) more cost-effective than a 2-lane busway (capacity 2000–5000 passengers per hour), for the N–S corridor.

Don’t be too ambitious to start with — make the first MRT line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition — such as: Ferry Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown — keep it as a core (busy all day, every day) line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future — sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Treasury’s 2024 revisions to discount rates for cost–benefit analysis let planners take a longer term view of infrastructure project business cases. The new rules lift the value of long-term benefits. The change makes on-street light rail (capacity 3000–9000 passengers per hour) more cost-effective than a 2-lane busway (capacity 2000–5000 passengers per hour) for the N–S corridor.

(:title Mass Rapid Transit Talking Points 2026:)

Don’t be too ambitious to start with — make the first MRT (mass rapid transit) line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition — such as: Ferry Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown — keep it as a core (busy all day, every day) line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future — sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Carpe diemWell done, keep going, don’t give up — there are genuine affordable modal alternatives between the car and heavy rail — buses are essential and will always be needed but they (alone) can never fill the “missing mode” gap.

Meeting with Greater Wellington 10:00 am, Thursday, 16 April 2026

Meeting with Greater Wellington 10:00 am, Thursday, 16 April 2026

Meeting with Greater Wellington 10:00 am Thursday, 16 April 2026

Meeting with Greater Wellington Thursday, 16 April 2026, 10:00am

Meeting with Greater Wellington Thursday, 16 April 2026.

(:typeset-page fontset=kepler colophon=off parasep=number subtitle="Put Light Rail on the Fast Track" headingcolor=RoyalBlue colorlinks=on marginshift=on :)

Don’t be too ambitious to start with — make the first MRT line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition — such as: Ferry Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown — keep it as a core (busy all day, every day) line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future — sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Make high ridership the primary criterion of success — it has to be accessible, popular and seen as a success — forget about the economics — make it about transit-oriented development, affordability and integration with the rest of the PT system — it needs to be free if another PT ticket is purchased, services must be very frequent, fast, high quality, reliable, and scalable. Interchange needs to be seamless. It may take a change of government to implement, but make sure the project is ready to fast-track when the planets are aligned.

Be useful to many riders

Get people who deliver

Carpe diem

Start small

Be useful to many people Make high ridership the primary criterion of success — it has to be accessible, popular and seen as a success — forget about the economics — make it about transit-oriented development, affordability and integration with the rest of the PT system — it needs to be free if another PT ticket is purchased, services must be very frequent, fast, high quality, reliable, and interchange needs to be seamless. It may take a change of government to implement, but make sure the project is ready to fast-track when the planets are aligned.

Set quality standards

Scale over decades

Find people who deliver

(:typeset-page fontset=kepler colophon=off parasep=number subtitle="Put Light Rail on the Fast Track" headingcolor=RoyalBlue colorlinks=on watermark=draft marginshift=on :)

Scalable across decades Revisions to discount rates for cost–benefit analysis help planners take a longer term view of infrastructure project business cases. The new rules mean on-street light rail (capacity 3000–9000 passengers per hour) becomes more cost-effective than a 2-lane busway (capacity 2000–5000 passengers per hour) for the N–S corridor.

(:typeset-page fontset=kepler colophon=off parasep=number subtitle="Put Light Rail on the Fast Track" headingcolor=RoyalBlue colorlinks=on watermark=draft offset=on :)

Scalable across decadesRevisions to discount rates for cost–benefit analysis help planners take a longer term view of infrastructure project business cases. The new rules mean on-street light rail (capacity 3000–9000 passengers per hour) becomes more cost-effective than a 2-lane busway (capacity 2000–5000 passengers per hour) for the N–S corridor.

(:typeset-page fontset=kepler colophon=off parasep=number subtitle="Put Light Rail on the Fast Track" headingcolor=RoyalBlue colorlinks=on watermark=draft :)

Don’t be too ambitious to start with — make the first MRT line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition — such as: Sea Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown — keep it as a core (busy all day, every day) line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future — sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Don’t be too ambitious to start with — make the first MRT line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition — such as: Sea Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown — keep it as a core (all day, every day) line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future — sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Implementation speed is a critical factor. Starting actually building something inside 3 years should be your priority. You need people with genuine / real expertise, not the usual transport consultants turning up for the fee.

Implementation speed is a critical factor. Starting actually building something inside 3 years should be your priority. You’ll people with genuine / real expertise, not the usual transport consultants turning up for the fee.

Well done, keep going, don’t give up — there are genuine affordable modal alternatives between the car and heavy rail — buses are essential and will always be needed but they (alone) can never fill the “missing mode” gap.

In NZ implementation speed is a critical factor. Starting actually building something inside 3 years should be your priority. You’ll people with genuine / real expertise, not the usual transport consultants turning up for the fee.

Well done, keep going and don’t give up — there are genuine affordable modal alternatives between the car and heavy rail — buses are essential and will always be needed but they alone can never fill the “missing mode” gap.

(:typeset-page fontset=kepler colophon=off parasep=number subtitle="Put LRT on the Fast Track" headingcolor=RoyalBlue colorlinks=on watermark=draft :)

Make high ridership the primary criterion of success — it has to be convenient, popular and seen as a success — forget about the economics — make it about transit-oriented development, affordability and integration with the rest of the PT system — it needs to be free if another PT ticket is purchased, services must be very frequent, fast, high quality, reliable and interchange needs to be seamless. It may take a change of government to implement, but make sure the project is ready to fast-track when the planets are aligned.

Revisions to discount rates for cost–benefit analysis help planners take a longer term view of infrastructure project business cases. The new rules mean on-street light rail (capacity 3000–9000 passengers per hour) becomes more cost-effective than a 2-lane busway (capacity 2000–5000 passengers per hour) for the N–S corridor.

Well done, keep going and don’t give up — there are genuine affordable modal alternatives between the car and heavy rail — buses are essential and will always be needed but they (alone) can never fill the “missing mode” gap.

Don’t be too ambitious to start with — make the first MRT line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition — such as: Sea Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown — keep it as a core line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future — sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Make the primary criterion of success high ridership — it has to be convenient, popular and seen as a success — forget about the economics — make it about transit-oriented development, affordability and integration with the rest of the PT system — it needs to be free if another PT ticket is purchased, services must be very frequent, fast, high quality, reliable and interchange needs to be seamless. It may take a change of government to implement, but make sure the project is ready to fast-track when the planets are aligned.

Resist pressure to compromise service quality (frequency, speed, ride quality, capacity, etc) to reduce build costs. Learn from similar projects overseas — for a given budget, it is better to build a shorter line to a higher standard than a longer line to a lower standard. For example, set a goal that MRT vehicles can travel at 50 kph, non-stop, between stations. If the first line is a success, you will get money to extend it.

(:typeset-page fontset=kepler colophon=off parasep=number subtitle="Put LRT on the Fast Track" headingcolor=RoyalBlue colorlinks=on :)

Well done, keep going and don’t give up �– there are genuine affordable modal alternatives between the car and heavy rail �– buses are essential and will always be needed but they (alone) can never fill the “missing mode” gap.

Meeting with Greater Wellington March 2026

First, well done, keep going and don’t give up �– there are genuine affordable modal alternatives between the car and heavy rail �– buses are essential and will always be needed but they (alone) can never fill the “missing mode” gap.

Don’t be too ambitious to start with - make the first MRT line something that will rally the maximum possible support and minimise opposition �– such as: Sea Terminals, Rail Station, City Centre to Hospital Parkway and Newtown �– keep it as a core line 1, with lots of potential for extensions to new constituencies in future �– sell it as something that will help the motorist.

Make the primary criterion of success high ridership �– it has to be convenient, popular and seen as a success �– forget about the economics �– make it about transit-oriented development, affordability and integration with the rest of the PT system �– it needs to be free if another PT ticket is purchased, services must be very frequent, fast, high quality, reliable and interchange needs to be seamless. It may take a change of government to implement, but make sure the project is ready to fast-track when the planets are aligned.

Resist pressure to compromise service quality (frequency, speed, ride quality, capacity, etc) to reduce build costs. Learn from similar projects overseas - for a given budget, it is better to build a shorter line to a higher standard than a longer line to a lower standard. For example, set a goal that MRT vehicles can travel at 50 kph - non-stop - between stations. If the first line is a success, you will get money to extend it.

In NZ implementation speed is a critical factor. Starting actually building something inside 3 years should be your priority.

Revisions to discount rates for cost–benefit analysis help planners take a longer term view of infrastructure project business cases. The new rules mean on-street light rail (capacity 3000–9000 passengers per hour) becomes more cost-effective than a 2-lane busway (capacity 2000–5000 passengers per hour) for the N–S corridor.