CRL will lift the international standing of Tāmaki Makaurau

As the $5billion City Rail Link mega-project nears completion, Auckland Council’s Barry Potter reflects on what it will mean for the region.

As Director of Resilience and Infrastructure at Auckland Council, Barry has a key role overseeing council’s 50% stake in the project’s funding. He shares his thoughts on this transformative project

This is part of an occasional Q&A series where we speak to urban and economic development leads at the helm of the stewardship of the city’s growth.

Our Q&A with Barry Potter:

Barry Potter outside of the construction site for Karangahape Station.

What will the City Rail Link mean for the region?

To really progress and become the city we can be and the city we want to be, we need the public transport system that the City Rail Link will provide. This will take us to a new standing among cities in this part of the world.

I've been involved in large projects, through New Zealand and internationally; some very large projects. This one is a true game changer for New Zealand’s biggest city.

What are some of the benefits for Aucklanders?

When the City Rail Link opens, there will be quite a transformation that comes with it. People will change the way they move around the city. Not just into the city centre, but right across the Auckland region. It will change where we choose to live, where we work. Trains will be coming through every 5 to 8 minutes at peak times.

We will see more people living in the city centre, but we'll also see more people living closer to the stations or to the networks, including bus networks and other modes like ferries.

You won't need a timetable at peak times. You will just turn up and catch the train. Buses will feed into the trains and there will be a whole integrated network. It will change the way we move. Those who have lived overseas will know what I'm talking about - in the major cities.

From a sustainability perspective it is also significant. The positive impact on the region, not just the city centre, will be quite dramatic. The more people use the rail network, the more vehicles are taken off the roads, the more sustainable Auckland becomes.

Who has been part of this project delivery?

The team on the City Rail Link project - we're talking literally about a few thousand people - construction workers, different subcontractors, the main contractors and Link Alliance, City Rail Link Limited, Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, KiwiRail, the Ministry of Transport - so many people have been involved in this project all the way through.

What makes Karanga-a-Hape unique?

Karanga-a-Hape station is very unique. There's been engagement with iwi throughout the design process. Māori artists have brought te ao Māori themes into the architecture and the art.

This station has special ceiling art at each entrance, with the Beresford Square ceiling artwork already in place. I'm a little cautious about spoiling the surprise of the Mercury Lane ceiling, which will be completed later this year. It will feature large sculptural kauri snails made of anodised aluminium. They represent the history of this area, as this ridgeline was once a kauri forest.

There are wonderful stories like this through all of the stations. Each station is unique. I know Aucklanders and visitors will enjoy these elements as they come in to catch trains.

View the design backstory.

How is this project seen internationally?

Throughout the design and implementation process, and also through employment on the project, we have worked with mana whenua. This project has won awards and set a new standard, illustrating to other international projects how to engage with indigenous peoples.

What can Aucklanders expect?

This is the largest, most complex transport project undertaken in New Zealand for decades. It sets a benchmark.

It will mean you’ll get to work faster in the morning, you’ll get home faster at the end of the day, and if you’re heading somewhere on the network on a Saturday night it will be a much more efficient and seamless trip. What’s more, you’ll see wonderful designs which tell our stories on the journey. These are great facilities which people will find easy to use. The City Rail Link will be used by people from throughout New Zealand and also international visitors. Everyone who comes through here will, I think, thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Barry Potter joined Auckland Council in 2015 bringing international experience as an engineer, project leader and regional CE of large infrastructure and environmental companies. He has worked and lived in Asia and the Pacific, as well as in his home country New Zealand.