Scoop Audio: Joyce & NZTA on Levin-Wgtn Expressway

By Spike Mountjoy

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Transport Minister Steven Joyce

• Scoop Audio: Motorists will be able to drive on a four lane expressway from Levin to Wellington Airport by 2020 if Government plans announced today run to schedule.

The new road developments include the building of Transmission Gully, doubling the Terrace and Mt Victoria tunnels, and the building of the Sandhills Expressway in Kapiti.

This $2.2b upgrade of State Highway One is part of the Government’s $11b plan to develop the State Highway network.

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Asked about the timing of the announcment Transport Minister Steven Joyce said it was a “fortunate coincidence” the plans were unveiled during the Copenhagen conference on climate change.

“We are very confident that fuel technologies will evolve to the point where personal transport will continue to be viable, and we’re already seeing that seeing that happen thee evolution of fuels and electric cars,” Joyce Said.

“We don’t believe that people will give up their personal mobility through the reaction to climate change.”

“I think it’s a big leap to go from ‘yes we need to do something about climate change and fossil fuel usage’ to then ‘oh well, we’ll all just have to get together and walk or travel by bus’ I think we’re a long way from that.”

The new road is expected to save between 23 and 33 minutes for the Levin-Wellington trip during peak times, and a maximum 23 minutes during off peak times.

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Three Wise Men? Transport Minister Steven Joyce, NZTA Board Chair Brian Roche and NZTA Chief Executive Geoff Dangerfield

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