Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere says he will sack the Auckland Transport board if he wins the local body election.
Ditching the Auckland regional fuel tax and kick-starting major roading projects such as Penlink, Mill Rd, Puhoi to Wellsford motorway, the Kumeu bypass and the port access upgrade are also priorities, Tamihere says.
However, mayor Phill Goff is hitting back and says the plans are “pure fantasy”.
Tamihere’s transport policy covers road, rail, ferries, cyclists and park ‘n’ rides facilities. “Under Phil Goff and AT, Auckland had become the City of Snails,” Tamihere says.
“It will take multi modal approach that includes track, road and more park and rides … Plus the Goff gas tax will be gone and so will the AT board.
“When I get the mandate from Aucklanders in October, I will head to Wellington to start a new conversation. I will not go to Wellington to get my instructions, like the present guy. My instructions will come from the people of Auckland.
“There are investors wanting to invest in park and ride facilities that will help get this city out of grid lock.
“This is not an anti-car policy and priority roading like Penlink and Mill Road, will give ratepayers who commute from Warkworth, Wellsford, and Kumeu and from the south on via Mill Road respite,” Tamihere says.
Meanwhile, Goff says Tamihere’s plan is “unfundable, unworkable and undeliverable”.
“There is no business case to back it up, no engineering case to show that it’s even viable.
“It’s electioneering nonsense costing billions of dollars that the government won’t fund and Aucklanders couldn’t and wouldn’t fund through their rates.
“The Auckland Transport Alignment Project massively increased funding by $9 billion. It is getting projects around the city underway, like the Eastern Busway and extensions to the Northern Busway, stations like Puhinui, and major arterial roads like Penlink and Mill Road.
“Tamihere would create commuter chaos by promising to slash $4.3 billion worth of funding for transport projects. That would gut public transport and massively increase congestion,” Goff says.
