City Rail Link opens on September 13 after 16-year push by former Auckland mayor Len Brown
Auckland's City Rail Link officially opens on September 13, the culmination of a project championed by former mayor Len Brown since his 2009 election campaign.
The 3.4-kilometre rail tunnel project opens on September 13, connecting previously disconnected sections of Auckland's rail network. The project took over a century to realise from its first proposal in 1923, but Brown drove it as a key campaign and mayoral priority from 2009 onwards. Brown and his team, including deputy Penny Hulse and policy adviser James Bews-Hair, spent years lobbying the government and council, securing 50 percent funding from Auckland Council and ultimately winning over successive transport ministers and Prime Minister John Key. Brown expects the opening to be his lasting legacy from his mayoralty.
Covered byThe SpinoffNot covered byRNZStuffNZ Herald1NewsNewstalk ZBOtago Daily TimesNewsroomBusinessDeskinterest.co.nz
Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.
What outlets are saying
The Spinoff
The real heroes of the City Rail Link
Plenty of politicians will line up to cut a ribbon and take credit. Here’s who really deserves the plaudits. When the CRL officially opens on September 13, Len Brown might allow himself a wry smile at the politicians he sees…