Mayor must stop taking train – just too hard and costly

Auckland Mayor Len Brown should abandon his train trips because they’re costing ratepayers more, adding to his carbon footprint, and wasting his and staff members’ valuable time, says one Auckland councillor.

“The revelation that the mayoral car drives alongside the train completely defeats the purpose. Good on the mayor for promoting public transport, but given his huge commitments catching the train is just not practical or cost effective for the city,” says Cameron Brewer, Councillor for Orakei.

“I’ve worked in political leaders’ offices before and you’ve just got to be sensible with travel arrangements The reality is, in most cases, the car remains the most efficient way to get around the wider Auckland region. For better or worse, he just has to work with that.

“His intentions are honourable, but it’s time to pull the pin. He’s made his point now and continuing the pretence will only make matters worse. No one’s impressed that while he’s in the train his driver’s following behind burning gas in a big empty V6 Holden Commodore on the southern motorway. Environmentally, economically and logistically it’s just nuts.

“It just hasn’t worked out and in fact it’s starting to send out all the wrong signals. It’s time to abandon this logistical nightmare for the sake of the mayor’s own time management, the ratepayer and the environment. Aucklanders want their mayor spending maximum time on the big issues that will advance the city, not wasting time and money on trying to fulfil an increasingly fraught election promise,” says Cameron Brewer.

Ends

© Scoop Media