Connor Sharp
@connorsharp.bsky.social
Campaign Director @greaterauckland.bsky.social and #1 light rail fan 'Unaffiliated Individual' - NZ Infrastructure Commission Officially more popular than a Real Housewife of Auckland Views my own https://linktr.ee/ConnorSharp
Every now and then I'm reminded of this meme video about Auckland Light Rail not happening from the other website... :( Will happen eventually but stilllllll hurts
I work near K road and I cannot overstate the positive impact the CRL appears to be having on it. The streets were semi deserted most days. Theres now a steady stream of people on the street. It’s amazing what decent transit can facilitate.
If Mill Road and the other RoNS were such a priority, then any political party would have no issues with putting these through the Infrastructure Commissions scrutiny process!
The Press@thepress.co.nz · 14h agoNational plans to fund two major Auckland and Canterbury motorways ahead of when the Infrastructure Commission suggests the new roads are needed.
"This is a timely book for Auckland. As our city becomes denser, its streets need to work harder. Car parking, which may previously have worked as a free-for-all, must now be managed deliberately." Guest post/ book review by @georgeweeks2014.bsky.social: www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/10/07/b...
Book Review: Rethinking Parking - Greater Auckland
Today’s guest post is a book review by George Weeks, of
greaterauckland.org.nz
Contrast Woodend & Mill Rd super expensive mega road projects: Woodend is the conventional + welcome highway bypass of a town, Mill Rd is the bonkers highway bypass of a highway THROUGH a town!? Urban SH1 is failing so let's duplicate it thru where people live, + generate even more traffic onto it 🤷♀️
With election campaigning under way, we ask how recent transport policy announcements might impact Auckland. TL;DR: If you had a few billion $ to solve our traffic woes, would you invest it in encouraging more traffic—or creating more traffic-free options? www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/10/06/t...
Transport policy on the campaign trail - Greater Auckland
Election campaigning is now in full swing. We’ve previously reported on the (unwise)
greaterauckland.org.nz
I'm a big believer in giving more resources and funding to local government for transport. But as apart of this, they also need to become responsible for part of the cost of State Highway projects/works, so local reps stop arguing for massive overscoped projects www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woodend-b...
Mayor advocates for $800m motorway extension to go ahead toll-free
National has promised $800 million for the Canterbury project if re-elected.
nzherald.co.nz
Made this graph the other day to get an idea of how ungodly expensive the current crop of RoNS are based on Infrastructure Commission research. Compare the cost per lane km, with some 50th percentile benchmarks. Red is post 2023 roads in NZ, yellow pre 2022, and green OECD. #nzpol
No idea who started re sharing this, but relevant again with the transport policy announcements over the weekend xD #nzpol
Connor Sharp@connorsharp.bsky.social · 6mo agoReject $4,000,000,000+++ gold plated rural motorway. Embrace glorious light rail down Dominion Road.
Greens light rail plans should be much cheaper than in their policy document They've used the top end of costs identified in the Infrastructure Commissions work (95th percentile at $250m per km) Whereas 75% of surface light rail projects are $100m per km or under. #nzpol
I see Mill Road is being announced by National as a 2028 priority. Relevant is this table from Auckland Councils Transport Policy Statement (unanimously supported by Councillors including former National Party Minister of Transport Maurice Williamson) lol
"National leader Christopher Luxon did not want taxpayer funding going into a "white elephant" that was not commercially viable. "Of course we're very committed to our 17 roads of national significance and we make no apology for that." Hmmm which one is a white elephant? #nzpol
So, The Big Short but for roads. #nzpol
Russell Brown@publicaddress.bsky.social · 2w agoAlong with others, I've had a bit to say about Simeon Brown's deranged 2024 Transport GPS. But this is actually shocking. It was altered *after the consultation period* to make the books look better – in a way that wrecks the National Land Transport Fund. www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/09/29/t...
Along with others, I've had a bit to say about Simeon Brown's deranged 2024 Transport GPS. But this is actually shocking. It was altered *after the consultation period* to make the books look better – in a way that wrecks the National Land Transport Fund. www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/09/29/t...
Transport borrowing comes back to bite - Greater Auckland
Today, Treasury is releasing the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (or PREFU) ahead of the election. So I figured it was worth looking at a significant recent change to the way transport expendi...
greaterauckland.org.nz
Kinda like The Big Short, but for roads? On PREFU day, @connorsharp.bsky.social takes a closer look at the coalition government’s changes to how debt repayment works in the transport sphere. It’s been relatively underreported - and it’s not pretty: www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/09/29/t...
Transport borrowing comes back to bite - Greater Auckland
Today, Treasury is releasing the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (or PREFU) ahead of the election. So I figured it was worth looking at a significant recent change to the way transport expendi...
greaterauckland.org.nz
Remember in 2022 when James Shaw called Simeon Brown 'younger Sméagol' and now its in Hansard forever?
Countries by how New Zealand they are
Week One of the City Rail Link in operation—and fair to say, Aucklanders are still feeling pretty chuffed! Today, Matt Lowrie takes a close look at the record ridership numbers, plus other key stats (& plans) that Auckland Transport kindly shared with us: www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/09/22/c...
Still chuffed: CRL Week One success - Greater Auckland
The City Rail Link has a bit of a secret power. It doesn’t just transport you around Auckland, but even further afield. Standing on the platform at Te Waihorotiu at certain times in the middle of the ...
greaterauckland.org.nz
Reading this is such a mindfuck Like its an active defence of Māori (co?) governance on Auckland Council, mixed with random ramblings and hot takes about MMP, NZTA, and the monarchy. There actually is no other politician like Wayne Brown its so wild lol www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/panicked-...
Panicked Nats have an ugly agenda in attacking our Independent Māori Statutory Board
OPINION: Reject list MPs are leading the Govt into a blaze of anger about council voting.
nzherald.co.nz
Good grief. Yet more chaotic legislating and last-minute changes. If central government wants to usurp councils' decisions it could at least try and be competent about it. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland/...
'Butt out of our business': Brown threatens Auckland Deal exit over Māori board voting ban
Auckland Mayor tells minister to stop meddling in the council’s democratic processes.
nzherald.co.nz
“I’d expected a thrilling shimmer of excitement & unreality to hover over the whole experience…instead, it felt completely real and everyday; entirely delightful and entirely ordinary. Like Narnia, but normal: open the wardrobe doors, and step out into your city.” CRL thoughts from me and the guys:
Greater Auckland@greaterauckland.bsky.social · 4w agoWe took the train to town yesterday, and we're absolutely chuffed! ☺️🚇 #CRL Enjoy this special bumper post, chock-full of great pics & stories, links to wider media coverage, plus some fun (and moving) reflections from our very happy team of "tired nerds": www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/09/14/a...
We took the train to town yesterday, and we're absolutely chuffed! ☺️🚇 #CRL Enjoy this special bumper post, chock-full of great pics & stories, links to wider media coverage, plus some fun (and moving) reflections from our very happy team of "tired nerds": www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/09/14/a...
Absolutely chuffed: our report from CRL opening day - Greater Auckland
What a day! Sunday saw the first running of passenger trains through the City Rail Link tunnels and stations. Some of us were up before the birds to catch the very first train, while others took a mor...
greaterauckland.org.nz
One of the biggest improvements that came with the Auckland subway project was the introduction of bollards to manage streets.
I was up for like 20hours+ straight yesterday for CRL opening day and it was worth it. Even though I'm sligghtttlllyy tired today