Denis O’Rourke MP

Spokesperson for Transport
23 JANUARY 2015

Thumbs up for Light Rail So Let’s Get on with It

Give the light rail proposal for Auckland the big tick off now and get on with sorting the money and construction, says New Zealand First.

“Internationally trams (light rail) are enjoying a renaissance but New Zealand is stuck in 1960s thinking under a National government with a mindset on roads,” says Transport Spokesperson Denis O’Rourke.

“This $1 billion proposal by Auckland Transport cannot be sweep aside as too expensive. National is spending a billion dollars on its Roads of National Significance, while it ignores other modes of transport. This is not the ‘level playing fields’ the government talks about.

“Let’s get smart and up to date about how people can travel within our cities.

“While the money required for light rail over time will provide long term returns and benefits, the high initial capital cost is usually seen as prohibitive for most councils to undertake on their own.

“Therefore the government must jointly pay for light rail on a 75 per cent (government) and 25 per cent (council) basis where there are congested roads, and this is certainly the case in Auckland which this proposal addresses,” says Mr O’Rourke.

ENDS

© Scoop Media