Headline: Cancel unnecessary projects to close Auckland transport gap
We can get the transport projects that we need without imposing more taxes
There is no need to impose new taxes on Aucklanders if uneconomic and unnecessary projects are dropped from the Government’s wishlist and more cost-efficient projects are prioritised, Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today.
The Auckland Consensus Building Group has today presented options to fund $12 billion of the projected $68 billion in transport spending in Auckland over the next 30 years – these options focus on tolling, higher rates, and higher fuel taxes.
“We can get the transport projects that we need without imposing more taxes. We don’t need to pour more public money into Auckland transport, we just need to use our money and our infrastructure in smarter ways,” said Ms Genter.
“Many of the big-ticket items that National is planning to build, such as the Puhoi to Wellsford Holiday Highway and other motorway extensions, will only funnel more traffic into city streets, making congestion worse.
“A congestion-free network to service Auckland can be built and run at a much lower cost than the current plan. If we prioritise projects such as the City Rail Link, a rail crossing to the North Shore, rail to the airport, extending busways, and making streets safe for walking and cycling, we will achieve real transport gains for billions less than National’s motorway projects.
“Petrol taxes and other direct charges can have their place, but they’ve got to be used to fund worthwhile projects, not just to build white elephant motorways.
“The Green Party’s campaign for a smart, green transport system for Auckland has had early success in forcing National to drop its opposition to the City Rail Link. The next step is for National to acknowledge that congestion-free public transport projects are the priority, not congestion-inducing motorway extensions,” said Ms Genter.
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