Paul Goldsmith - Transport

6 June 2019

Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter’s comments that a “huge percentage” of New Zealanders want speed limits to drop shows how out of touch she is with the public, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“We all want safer roads, but I don’t buy that a majority of New Zealanders want Julie Anne Genter to cycle from Kaitaia to Bluff, putting a line through every 100kmh sign she sees along the way.

“Her recent comments attacking some motorists as being ‘car fascists’ reinforce the real fear that the Government’s core transport policy is to frustrate motorists out of their cars.

“The reality is, New Zealanders lead busy lives and don’t want the Government telling them they need to operate at a slower pace. They would rather see their tax dollars spent on new, high-quality roads that are safe for them drive on at 100kmh, but this Government hasn’t built a single new road.

“It has, however, cancelled, delayed or gutted a dozen major transport projects that were in the pipeline, so it can throw billions at light rail for commuters in Auckland and Wellington.

“Drastically cutting speed limits to improve road safety is too simplistic. It would further isolate people living in regional New Zealand and pull the handbrake on our economy by hindering the movement of freight.

“If the Government is serious about wanting to save lives then it will reverse its policy of not investing in quality new roads, act on drugged drivers by introducing roadside drug testing and put more money into road safety policing, which saw a cut, in real terms, in this year’s Budget.”

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