3 June 2005 Media Statement

Thompson's transport U turn

Less than 18 months ago Alasdair Thompson, chief executive of the EMA Northern praised the government's transport plans for Auckland.

That was at the time a $1.6 billion package was announced for transport for Auckland. "The package represents a very good start towards meeting the Auckland Region's transport bottlenecks," said Thompson.

"Now it seems Thompson has chosen to completely ignore the progress that is being made for the sake of raising his own profile," says Pete Hodgson.

"Instead Thompson should spend a little time familiarising himself with the facts. In 1999/00 under the budget set by National, there were three large Auckland State Highway projects under way with a combined value of $130.6 million. Under Labour, in 2004/05 there are $1.348 billion worth of major state highway projects either recently completed or underway.

"That's more than ten time the activity under a Labour-led government than a National one. So much for Thompson's crazy claim that the rate of road building in Auckland is slowing down.

"Thompson is either acting out of ignorance or mischief. Either way, he's wasting his time and his backer's money while others in the community are helping government get on with the job of fixing Auckland's transport infrastructure."

ENDS

Auckland Large SH Construction Projects – 1999/2000 compared with 2004/05

1999/2000

Project Construction Cost Completed
ALPURT A1/A2 $90.7M No
ALPURT B1 $28.7M Yes
ATMS II $11.2M No

TOTAL $130.6M

Aggregate value of projects underway = $130.6M; 1 project completed

2004/05

Project Construction Cost Completed
SH16, Grafton Gully $67.0M Yes
SH1, CMJ Stage 1 $55.0M Yes
SH1, CMJ Stage 2 $140.4M No
SH20, Mt Roskill $167.4M No
SH18, Greenhithe Deviation $94.4M No
SH18, Upper Harbour Bridge Duplication $36.8M No
SH1, Esmonde Rd Interchange $35.5M No
SH1, Northern Busway $180.0M No
SH1, ALPURT B2 (toll road) $365.0M No
ATMS III $4.4M Yes
SH20, Manukau Extension* $174.2M No
SH1, Waiouru Connection (Transit share) $19.8M No
SH16, Newton to Western Springs Auxillary Lane $8.5M No

TOTAL $1,348.4M
* initiated procurement process

Aggregate value of project underway = $1,348.4M; 3 projects completed

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