- By Simeon Brown, MP for Pakuranga
Last week, National announced our Transport for the Future policy, which will see significant transport projects get underway that will ease congestion and make it easier for Kiwis across the country to get around.
The last six years under Labour have seen little to no progress when it comes to our transport connections, with plenty of announcements but no shovels in the ground, other than projects started under the last National Government.
If New Zealand is to prosper once more, we need to ensure we have transport networks that drive economic growth and productivity. Kiwis need to be able to get where they want to go in a safe and efficient manner.
While there are projects we will undertake across New Zealand, I am particularly excited about the parts of our policy that directly affect east Auckland.
The first is that we will provide the funding needed in order to complete the Eastern Busway from Pakuranga to Botany, with it currently in limbo due to a funding shortfall, and ensure construction of the Reeves Road Flyover.
I have been very vocal about the Eastern Busway both locally and in Parliament, as I know how important it is to our part of Auckland which desperately needs the Reeves Road Flyover and more transport choices.
We also announced that we would fund the Airport to Botany public transport connection, another project that has been considered for some time but never started.
This project would provide rapid transit for those wanting to travel to the airport and give local residents who commute to Manukau and beyond greater choice in how they get there.
Another project which will benefit east Aucklanders will be the long-awaited Mill Road upgrade between Manukau and Drury – a project Labour stopped twice.
This road runs parallel to the east of State Highway 1 and will provide a more resilient connection in and out of Auckland.
Finally, we will put the East-West Link back on the table after it was cancelled by Labour shortly after they took charge, a decision that left this important freight and industrial hub with increasing levels of traffic congestion.
Overall, this plan is designed to get New Zealanders moving, reduce travel times and create safe and resilient connections between our regions.
While Labour has wasted the last six years talking about light rail, National will deliver.
For full details of the projects we have included in this policy, as well as the costings and how we plan to fund them, you can visit National’s website at www.national.org.nz/transportforthefuture.
