Automobile Association Appoints Auckland Advocate

Automobile Association Appoints Auckland Advocate

The Automobile Association has appointed Stephen Selwood, General Manager Auckland Transport Advocacy. Previously Auckland Regional Manager the appointment means that Mr Selwood will now focus full time on Auckland transport policy issues.

"Auckland's size and desperate need for urgent progress on the regional land transport strategy means it is fitting that the Association have a full time senior manager dealing with Auckland transport issues," AA Chief Executive Brian Gibbons said.

"Stephen has developed the Association's advocacy interests in the city in a positive and effective manner and is well positioned to contribute to policy formation for the region," he said.

Mr Selwood said "the Automobile Association represents the interests of motorists who pay an estimated $500 million each year in petrol taxes in the Auckland region alone. Add on to that the $250 million paid in road user charges and that's a total of three quarters of a billion dollars in fuel taxes raised in the Auckland region every year! There's more than enough money to pay for rapid progress".

"The Auckland region cannot afford to wait until 2015 and beyond for the completion of core components of the motorway network," Mr Selwood said, "If we stick to the current timetable many people will have retired and others gone from kindergarten to tertiary studies before the core motorway network is completed. We simply cannot afford to wait that long. Aucklanders want action on their daily transport nightmare and they want it sooner rather than later" he said.

Mr Selwood said the AA had completed extensive market research into the opinions of Aucklanders on their traffic options which would be made public over coming weeks.

"The government has repeatedly said that fixing the Auckland transport situation is a top priority. The AA now has the most extensive public opinion information available on what Aucklanders want, and don't want, to see done. We hope to put that information to Government in the very near future to assist its decision-making processes" Mr Selwood said.

Mr Selwood said the AA supported the development of efficient public transport options in the city alongside the construction of roads to ease congestion.

"For now until the next century the bulk of public and private transport will use roads. There is no better investment for road user money." he said.

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