Tuesday, August 30th, 2005
Break a leg, the real road show has begun at last
"Thank goodness! The Mt Roskill extension project is under way!"
That was the reaction today from Alasdair Thompson, chief executive of the Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern) on hearing the news work had actually begun on the long awaited road.
"The beginning of work on the costly 4 km Mt Roskill extension comes after many false dawns, dithering, cups of tea and
sod turning postponements these past five years," Mr Thompson said.
"The corridor for it has been designated for the past 40 years!
"Transit said five years ago it would have the Mt Roskill extension finished by now. Thank goodness it's underway now.
"There was never any doubt the Mt Roskill extension would get built - it was only a question of when work would actually
begin.
"The same is equally true of the rest of the western ring route - Auckland needs to make sure work on the Avondale
extension is accelerated.
"We're losing $838 million for every year it is not completed.
"We invite Aucklanders to vote for the party(s) that will complete the whole western ring route in 8 years flat.
"But business lacks any confidence it will get any further if, post election, the Greens have much influence in
government - their stated objective is to increase traffic congestion and force people onto public transport before
adequate public transport is in place."
ENDS