Labour’s Transport Minister Michael Wood has today announced that he will be raiding the road maintenance budget to fund cycleways and bus lanes as part of Labour’s proposed National Land Transport Plan 2024-2027, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Labour is going to steal the money New Zealanders pay via petrol taxes to fix potholes and maintain the roads and instead use that money for cycleways, despite only 1 per cent of people travelling to work on a bike, according to the 2018 census, compared with over 70 per cent travelling to work in a vehicle.

“Labour has already raided the State Highway improvement fund for Auckland Light Rail, which has yet to get off the ground, and now they want to raid the maintenance budget too.

“This is unacceptable and proves that Labour is more focused on its ideological approach to transport, rather than building the infrastructure that New Zealanders need.

“The recent cyclone demonstrated how dependent New Zealand is on a good roading network. It is essential for emergency services, getting children to school, getting to work, and moving freight around the country. It cannot be allowed to disintegrate further under Labour.

“A National Government will immediately halt this policy and rewrite the Government Policy Statement on Transport. We will restore the primary purpose of the National Land Transport Fund which is to build and maintain the roading network and we will prioritise reducing congestion and travel time to ensure Kiwis can get around more easily.

“The National Land Transport Fund is paid for by road users who expect the money they pay in petrol taxes and road user charges to be put towards building and maintaining the roading network.

“If Labour progresses with these radical and ideological plans you can expect more potholes on the roads and less maintenance of State Highways. Labour continues to spend millions on projects which don’t help the majority of New Zealanders.”

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