Greens Will Fight English/Banks Combo Over Motorway Plans

Greens will fight English/Banks combo over motorway plans Green Party Transport spokesperson 7th February 2002 Auckland Green MP Keith Locke says his party will be confronting National over its announced election policy of building more motorways in Auckland.

"We'll also be focussing our election campaign in Auckland on how to solve congestion problems," said Mr Locke who is the party's Associate Transport spokesperson.

"But more motorways is not the answer. It will just encourage more people to get into cars.

"Public transport, not roading, is Auckland's Cinderella. Too much money is being poured into motorway construction already without Bill English's proposal to further distort Transfund's priorities away from public transport and to get private investors involved.

"Now that the Auckland rail network is coming back into public hands the challenge is to make it work and finesse the bus connections. This will cost hundreds of millions of dollars in new carriages and light rail connectors. This money can't be wasted on more motorways."

Mr Locke said Bill English and John Banks are captives of a roads lobby that pours scorn on passenger rail and other public transport solutions.

"The Greens will fight any efforts to undermine the ability of communities to use the Resource Management Act to stop motorways plowing through their communities.

"Unfortunately the Labour/Alliance government is vacillating on whether more roads or public transport are the solution to Auckland's gridlock."

"The Greens will go head to head with National in the election on this vital issue for Auckland," said Mr Locke.

Ends

© Scoop Media