For immediate release

Monday, 17 March 2003

Baldock calls for sensible roading legislation

The folly of caving in to the Greens' backward-looking transport policies is now becoming increasingly plain, according to United Future's transport spokesman, Larry Baldock.

"From media reports of the initial submissions on the Land Transport Management Bill, it seems obvious that Parliament's Transport & Industrial Relations select committee will have its work cut out amending the Bill to make it work," he said.

The Bill is intended to make it easier to find alternative sources of funding for developing New Zealand's transport infrastructure.

Mr Baldock said "The Government was reluctant to make the amendments United Future recommended prior to its being tabled in the House.

"It is now obvious that the Bill as drafted prior to the 2002 elections by the Labour/Alliance Government was influenced too heavily by the Greens, whose idea of transport infrastructure focuses on building cycleways and walkways.

"United Future is committed to working hard to ensure that the final version of the Bill can meet the needs of communities who are prepared to look at alternative funding methods to provide answers to their gridlocked traffic. It is clear that the Government is going to have to resist the Greens' pressure to head the nation back to the 19th century as far as transportation is concerned.

Mr Baldock said "I am confident that the Bill can be amended to achieve its original purpose of developing new sources of funding that are urgently needed to overcome New Zealand's roading infrastructure problems."

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