ACT Welcomes Wellington Bypass Decision

ACT New Zealand Wellington-based MP Heather Roy today welcomed Transfund's decision to fund Wellington's inner-city bypass, but described the 30-year wait as a period of lost opportunities for the City.

"During the Third Labour Government, the bypass was stopped mid-project after then Deputy Prime Minister Hugh Watts - an Aucklander - and his officials produced a document disputing the need for a second Terrace tunnel," Mrs Roy said.

"The funds to complete the development were subsequently diverted to build Auckland's Spaghetti Junction. This resulted in Wellington's multi-million dollar motorway ending at a set of traffic lights on Ghuznee Street - one of the city's narrowest streets. Mr Watts boldly - but wrongly - claimed this would adequately cater to Wellington's needs for the foreseeable future.

"The sad fact of the matter is, however, that Labour did not care then, and it does not care now. Six of the seven Wellington electorate MPs are Labour - four are Cabinet Ministers - but they seem reluctant to campaign to improve the City's traffic problems. The seventh is Peter Dunne, who naively claimed he could influence government best by co-operating with them.

"We should return to the original plan, that was halted in its tracks by Mr Watts. It is an absolute disgrace that the main route through our capital city - State Highway One - is brought to a standstill at peak times.

"If Wellington had effective local representation, Labour's Wellington-based MPs would have backed the original plan and picked up where their predecessors had left off. Instead they are taking their voters for granted," Mrs Roy said.

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