Labour Policy Will See More Trucks On The Road
Helen Clark's recent statement on roading sounds like a
recipe for more
roads, more trucks, and more damage to
the environment, says the Green
Party.
"Labour seems
not to have learned from the experience both here and
overseas
that building more roads actually generates more
traffic," says Green party
Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.
"If those new roads are built by profit
making companies
trying to repay their investment through tolls,
the
incentive will be to maximise the number of vehicles
on the road.
"We welcome Labour's indication of more
investment in public transport, but
they cannot pursue
both strategies at once. If we build more roads we
will
undermine public transport and rail."
Jeanette
Fitzsimons said she was worried by the suggestion that
trucks may
pay less under a Labour government, and light
vehicles more.
"Reducing user charges for heavy vehicles
will just see more trucks on the
road.
"We believe
heavy transport pays less then its share of roading
costs.
Diesel users contribute nothing to the
consolidated fund which pays for many
of the costs of
road transport like policing, justice, health
and
environmental costs," she said. "Petrol users -
normal motorists - are left
footing the bill.
"Policies
should be directed at providing the right incentives for
heavy
freight to transfer to rail - not only will that
make for better driving
conditions, it will make roads
cheaper to
maintain."