Offer the population something when National Offers Nothing

Okay everyone!
I have griped at National on what is honestly some of the most awful Transport Policy I have seen in my career. Sure, I can rattle off projects that are value for money (Benefit Cost Ratios over 1) until I am blue in the face. But what we need is a new Regime with some smarts. Ironically as it is an inditement to our poor infrastructure delivery processes, that slowness allows the damage from National to be avoided. But it needs an Opposition with the smarts and relate to the general population.

So, if I was an Opposition Party I would if elected in 2026

• Reverse National’s 22c/l fuel tax hike, RUC hike, and abolish the $50 rego increase as well (Labour’s 12c hike remains so you still get a 10c discount)
• Reversion back to the Labour 2024 GPS. This means funding restored to all budget lines that were cut in the National GPS.
  • For example: Local Road Maintenance doubles for next 10 years to allow catch up
• The 15 Roads of National Significance stay. They would be be scaled back to 2+1s and roundabouts. You won’t notice any travel time increases because there will be none with 2+1s.
  • The 4 lanes to Piarere would stay. This is owing to the SH1/29 roundabout.
  • But the 2+1s are extended to Taupo over 15 years.
  • For Mill Road, SH2 at Maramarua, and East West Link see the comments below.
• Abolishing of fuel tax and conversion to universal RUCs based on weight and emissions by 2030. Congestion Charging enters for Auckland and Wellington.
• Continued allowance for entities like Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore to enter to design, build, own, and operate certain transit lines in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch!
• An Extended Funded Assistance Rate from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for Councils to build Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
• You will get your 100km/h back on rural roads. WHEN it is upgraded with median barriers, side barriers and roundabouts. NZTA will be forced to deliver 100km/year on the top 25% of our most dangerous rural roads.
• Mandatory requirement for Tier 1 cities to deliver 25km/year in bus lanes and 50km/year in new cycleways. 10 new Local Traffic Neighbourhoods to be completed every two years for the next 50 years.
• Councils are free to set their own fines with parking and transit lanes

Examples

East West Link

East West Link Option B gets fully funded by Government.

The work would include give safety upgrades, and allows new south facing ramps with SH1 to free Mt Wellington for Sylvia Park!

BUT there is one warning:
Doing this will assist industry and freight. But it will also make building residential more attractive as well forcing industry out. EWL will give industry an extra 10 years. Before the pressure of urban renewal starts kicking in so be very careful what you wish for here team!

State Highway 2 in Maramarua

SH2 in Maramarua is the case study of a bypass and a 2+1 being delivered to get cars off a very deadly set of old local roads. Lets extend it west to SH1 and, east to a new roundabout where it meets with SH27. Use this as an example to deliver the other 14 RoNS. The 15th was still 4 lanes down to the SH1/29 roundabout.

Mill Road

There is two parts to Mill Road
North which is Manukau to effectively Papakura
South which is Papakura to Ramarama interchange south of Drury

I have always supported a 2+1 from Papakura to Ramarama. This would support the 5th Industrial Complex housed in Drury and, get the existing freight fleet off Beach Road in Papakura.

Mill Road North I won’t support as a standalone as that just empties cares into Papakura and Takaanini from those coming from the Waikato. BUT I will as a concession support Mill Road north being two general lanes and two transit lanes. IF all that Future Urban Zoned land between Alfriston Road and Walters Road is converted to live zoning. This supports a bus service from Papakura out east, out Mill Road and, into Manukau as a backup to the Southern Line and the 33 Bus! It could also allow for an extra service to Botany via Flatbush!