Thursday, 9 March 2006

Dunne queries the role of Transit

United Future leader and Ohariu-Belmont MP, Peter Dunne, is today querying whether Transit New Zealand has the will or the ability to build the Transmission Gully motorway, as recommended by a Wellington Regional Council sub-committee yesterday.

"Now that the people have spoken overwhelmingly in favour of the Gully route, it's time to question whether Transit has any useful role to play in making progress on this very important project," he said.

"Throughout the lengthy debate over Transmission Gully, Transit has consistently tried to skew the argument in favour of the very much inferior plan to widen the coastal highway.

"Even today, it has admitted that it failed to get its sums right over the cost of the Gully route.

"Transit also has a sorry history of bringing in roading projects over time and over budget. One must que
stion whether it has the ability or expertise to undertake a project of this size.

"Perhaps it would save time and money if the Gully project was advertised nationally and internationally, so that constructions firms with greater experience and a real commitment to the project could do the job properly," said Mr Dunne.

ENDS

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