The Roading Money Is In The Bank

1 March 2005

The Roading Money Is In The Bank – Let’s Get On And Spend It!

“From April 1st (what fools we are) Aucklanders will have $200,000 per day taken out of their pockets in the name of another transport package but are unlikely to see any real relief from their daily motorway gridlock”, said Michael Barnett, Chief Executive of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

This is on top of the $900m spread over 10 years announced in the Government’s December 2003 transport package and the 34% increase in transport rates imposed by the Auckland Regional Council last year.

Signs are already coming from other Councils of rate increases based on Auckland’s transport needs.

Right now it’s not more money we need, it’s an urgent construction programme with industry support and a greater sense of urgency to build Auckland’s network.

Mr Barnett said that if the local construction industry cannot gear up fast enough to handle the volume of work now secured and funded, encouragement should be given to Transit New Zealand’s board to recruit new players from offshore.”

ENDS

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