Greens Will Fight English/Banks Combo Over Motorway Plans
Greens will fight English/Banks combo over motorway plans Green Party Transport spokesperson 7th February 2002 Auckland
Green MP Keith Locke says his party will be confronting National over its announced election policy of building more
motorways in Auckland.
"We'll also be focussing our election campaign in Auckland on how to solve congestion problems," said Mr Locke who is
the party's Associate Transport spokesperson.
"But more motorways is not the answer. It will just encourage more people to get into cars.
"Public transport, not roading, is Auckland's Cinderella. Too much money is being poured into motorway construction
already without Bill English's proposal to further distort Transfund's priorities away from public transport and to get
private investors involved.
"Now that the Auckland rail network is coming back into public hands the challenge is to make it work and finesse the
bus connections. This will cost hundreds of millions of dollars in new carriages and light rail connectors. This money
can't be wasted on more motorways."
Mr Locke said Bill English and John Banks are captives of a roads lobby that pours scorn on passenger rail and other
public transport solutions.
"The Greens will fight any efforts to undermine the ability of communities to use the Resource Management Act to stop
motorways plowing through their communities.
"Unfortunately the Labour/Alliance government is vacillating on whether more roads or public transport are the solution
to Auckland's gridlock."
"The Greens will go head to head with National in the election on this vital issue for Auckland," said Mr Locke.
Ends