Phil Twyford has taken his contradictory statements on major roading projects to another level with his comments on South Auckland’s crucial Mill Road second corridor project, National Party Transport Spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross says.

“Mr Twyford has today made the claim in the Papakura Courier that his increase to local road funding will mean Mill Road is more likely to go ahead under Labour. That simply can’t be true,” Mr Ross says.

“Phil Twyford claimed in Parliament this week that he is increasing local road improvement funding by just $310 million nationwide, over three years. However the Mill Road project has a price tag of close to $1 billion.

“This is also the same pot of money that Mr Twyford says will benefit the regions, but now he’s saying it will benefit Auckland.

“The simple truth is that Mill Road, which is crucial to taking pressure off the Southern Motorway, won’t proceed as a local road because of Auckland Council’s money problems. That’s why National wants to make it a state highway.

“This is the same pattern we are seeing with other roading projects. Whether it’s in Levin, Bay of Plenty, or in South Auckland, Mr Twyford says one thing to one audience and something completely contradictory to another.

“Phil Twyford’s transport policies are full of pot-holes and bad maths. When the Prime Minister claimed there was no $5 billion cut to State Highway funding, Phil Twyford answered the next day in Parliament that those cuts were in fact $5.35 billion.

“Hard working Kiwis are about to be taxed more for fewer roads and no amount of obfuscation will hide that.

“Labour’s statements are inconsistent and don’t add up. Kiwis deserve better.”

© Scoop Media