The Government’s efforts to fast-track infrastructure projects to help with New Zealand’s economic recovery must include the Eastern Busway and Reeves Road Flyover, which would create jobs in Auckland and deliver much-needed local transport improvements sooner, says Simeon Brown, MP for Pakuranga.
“Today I lodged a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) in Parliament which would amend the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Bill to include the Eastern Busway and Reeves Road Flyover.”
“Just about everyone believes this project needs to be prioritised, with even Auckland Mayor Phil Goff advocating for the Government to include it in their list of shovel-ready projects.”
“The people of Pakuranga and East Auckland have been waiting for infrastructure improvements for over a decade and have had to deal with constant re-designs, delays, and even name changes to this project for far too long.”
“Covid-19 has inflicted a terrible cost on our economy, but the Government has rightly identified big infrastructure projects as a way to get things moving again and people back into jobs.”
“The Eastern Busway is the second largest project by cost and scale in Auckland, after only the City Rail Link, and would deliver immense benefits to the local area and economy.”
“East Auckland is home to over 130,000 people, around the size of Tauranga or Dunedin, and deserves world-class infrastructure for the growing population we are expecting in our part of Auckland.”
“I am urging the Government to support my SOP in Parliament and acknowledge that this would be a win for everyone involved. The Eastern Busway was fully funded under the last National Government, so it’s really not a lot to ask for it to be fast-tracked.”
