Sue Moroney
List MP based in Hamilton
Transport Spokesperson

11 October 2016

Road toll passes 2013 total

The road toll for the year to date has already passed the total for the whole of 2013, raising serious questions about the Government’s underfunding of road safety, says Labour’s Transport spokesperson Sue Moroney.

“According to the Ministry of Transport, the road toll for 2016 now stands at 255. That’s above the 253 for the whole of 2013. The current year is set to be the third successive year of increases in the road toll.

“There have been 30% more road deaths compared to the same time of the year in 2013. After decades of a falling road toll, we are now seeing more and more New Zealanders being killed.

“Questions need to be asked about the role played by National’s cuts to road maintenance in the regions and policing in the rising road toll.

“Despite more vehicles on our roads, NZTA spent $55m less on road operations, maintenance and renewals outside of the main centres in 2015 than it did in 2010. 100 Police Officers have been removed from road safety duties.

“The Government is spending less on keeping us safe on the roads and the road toll is rising. The link is clear. National needs to stop cutting corners on road safety,” says Sue Moroney.

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