Congestion - not climate - focus of National's new transport policy
The National Party is set to unveil its transport policy the opening salvo in what is set to be one of the main ideological battles of the campaign: how to build and fund transport infrastructure in a climate emergency . Leader Christopher Luxon will launch the blueprint in Hamilton on Monday, alongside authors Christopher Bishop, the partys infrastructure spokesperson, and Simeon Brown, who holds the transport portfolio. Its set to be a cornerstone of its election pitch, and its biggest policy to date. The Post revealed details of the $4 billion Wellington plank of the manifesto which includes axing the troubled Lets Get Wellington Moving programme and plans for light rail in the Capital. It would instead build a four-lane highway to the airport, and an east-west arterial route linking Tawa, the citys northernmost suburb, with the Hutt Valley. The plans would be paid for by a mixture of reallocating existing funds, new investment, tolls and value capital charging (a tax on new housing or retail developments bordering the route). Brown said the policy is a 10-year vision to unlock land for housing, create jobs in regional areas, and boost resilience in the event of weather events and natural disasters. It will revive Roads of National Significance a programme launched to speed up construction under John Keys government. As well as dumping light rail in Wellington, National is also opposed to a similar plan in Auckland, that would see a 24km-long route and 18 stations, connecting the central city with the airport. The party has already announced plans to create a National Infrastructure Agency , to deliver projects and connect domestic and offshore investors. Critics are likely to focus on funding and whether the car centric policies will compromise action on climate change. Labour is yet to unveil its transport policy but backs light rail in both cities. In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle Prime Minister Chris Hipkins put the brakes on making emissions reductions the Governments top transport priority. A three-yearly transport plan would have reallocated some of the $2b usually spent on road maintenance towards bus and bike lanes. But following damage sustained in summer storms, the focus was switched to repair the devastated routes.