Hon John Banks QSO Mayor of Auckland City

4 August 2004

Nonsense could be very costly nationwide

“If Transit and North Shore City succeed with their nonsense claim that resource consent applicants must complete all detailed planning before applying for consent – they’ll cost themselves and others nationwide tens of millions more,” said Auckland City Mayor Hon John Banks today.

Mr Banks said Transit has failed to properly think through its silly politically based opposition to the V8 street race in Auckland.

Transit and North Shore both argue that the V8 consent applicants should produce detailed traffic demand management plans before applying for consent.

However, this is something Transit itself does not do.

“To develop the detailed traffic demand management plan for the V8 race will cost $500,000 to $600,000, “ Mr Banks said.

“It would be lunacy to do this work before getting a consent. So the practice nationwide is to apply for consent, on condition the work is undertaken if it is granted.

“Now Transit, at the instance of its Wellington board to oppose the V8 at all costs, is arguing the detailed work should come first. It is folly on a national scale. It will set a dangerous new precedent.

“If they succeed in this they’ll also shoot themselves in the foot. They routinely never provide detailed traffic management plans with their applications for consents to Auckland City and other local authorities nationwide.

“If they insist on this becoming the norm – and get away with it – they effectively insist on raising their costs and those of other local bodies nationwide by tens of millions a year. That is sheer folly. It’s stupidity the country and Aucklanders should be spared,” Mr Banks said.

Transit is also threatening not to give approval to use its land at Victoria Park if the V8 race consent is granted.

“That too is a silly thing to say. What if Auckland City, in turn, refused Transit permission in relation to city land in future?

“I’m sure they’ve set out to look powerful in their V8 case. But they’re marched into a minefield, which could cost them, taxpayers, developers and ratepayers millions nationwide. How silly. How sad,” said Mr Banks.

ENDS

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