The Automobile Association wants a faster rollout of 10,000 new park and ride spaces planned for Auckland.
It said the cost - between $150 million and $250m - could add 5000 new public transport users who might otherwise remain in their cars.
Auckand Transport plans to build 10,000 park and ride spaces over 30 years. Photo: RNZ / Henry Acland
Auckland Transport is planning to provide 10,000 spaces, but over three decades.
The AA said a survey of members found that most would be prepared to pay at least $2 a day to park at a transport hub.
The call for more spaces was intended for the existing rapid transport network, made up of the rail lines and the Northern Busway.
Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
The association's principal advisor, Barney Irvine, said the agency's hope that people would use feeder services was not the complete answer.
"Feeder services will work for some people, but won't work for many. It'll take time for a feeder service to develop to a point where people find it appealing, and it'll also take time for people to adjust to using multiple public transport trips," he told RNZ.
Patronage is already growing quickly on the network, with rail numbers up 16 percent in a year, and the Northern Busway up slightly more.
Mr Irvine said investing in park and ride spaces made sense and would encourage still more people to use public transport.
Auckland Transport confirmed its plan to add 10,000 park and ride spaces by 2046.
It was building hundreds of spaces at the Hibiscus Coast station, working on a business case for spaces at Papakura, and developing a plan for Westgate.
