Motorway madness is low quality spend

The leaked Government Policy Statement (GPS) on transport funding has an out-dated focus on motorways and won’t deliver economic prosperity, said the Green Party today.

Radio New Zealand reported this morning that the leaked draft GPS allocates nearly 40 per cent of the transport budget to new state highways for the next decade.

Green Party Transport spokesperson Gareth Hughes said that more money on motorways meant less money for everything else.

“Joyce claims that he has also somehow increased funding for public transport, walking, cycling and road safety – but if that is the case, where has all the new money come from?

“The fact is that his Government has prioritised billions for new motorways with poor business cases, and consequently there is less money available to meet the growing demand for trains, buses and bicycles.

“There is also less money available for road maintenance, safety and local roads. There is always a trade off, and Mr Joyce is putting our money in the least cost effective options.

“Motorways don’t solve congestion, and they won’t reduce transport costs when oil prices are sky high. The Minister is out of step with New Zealanders,” said Mr Hughes.

Recent Shape NZ polling found 66 per cent of New Zealanders do not believe it is possible to eliminate congestion by building more roads and motorways.

“The GPS fails the future by ignoring the need to invest in public transport projects like a CBD Rail Loop for Auckland or light rail for Wellington, which are desperately needed,” said Mr Hughes.

Mr Hughes said rail patronage increased 20 per cent between March 2010 and 2011 in Auckland.

“We can’t increase economic productivity by putting all our money in motorways when the international oil price is expected to stay high, but the Government can help people get around by investing in trains and buses and making walking and cycling safer.

“We can future-proof our freight networks by investing much more in rail and coastal shipping.

“We need to invest in a transport system that doesn’t increase our vulnerability to high oil prices. That’s smart economics,” said Mr Hughes.

Link to Radio New Zealand Story:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2488035/government-poised-to-increase-state-highway-spending.asx

Link to recent Shape NZ poll:
http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/story.asp?StoryID=1288