NZ's transport plans: What's in and what's out under National?

October 25, 2023
National's transport policy includes plans for several new roads

The upcoming change in government will likely mean changes for the country's various transport projects too.

National promised to scrap a couple of Labour's high profile transport projects and also rolled out plans for several others prior to the election.

So, what does the incoming government plan to start building? And which projects have likely reached the end of the road?

Last stop for Auckland Light Rail

The Labour government's plans for a city-to-airport rail link have largely gone nowhere after being promised six years ago.

Major transport projects are set to be axed under the new government. (Source: 1News)

That vision is now unlikely to ever see the light of day with National promising to cancel the light rail project within its first 100 days in office.


Let's Get Wellington Moving on the chopping block

National's 100-day plan also promises to withdraw central government support for the Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) programme.

ACT is also keen to scrap it, with the party's deputy leader Brooke van Velden telling AM Early the transport plan was "not anything realistic for how people live their lives".

A bus in Wellington (file photo)

The decision likely won't go over well with Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau, who urged National not to dump LGWM earlier this year, saying it would be a backwards step for the city.

Commitments to existing projects

National's transport policy confirmed the party's support for three projects that have already had funding allocated.

These are:

  • A new 7km road between the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and State Highway 1 at Redvale. National says it will also investigate the cost of expanding this to a four-lane road.
  • A new 24km four-lane divided highway between Ōtaki and Levin.
  • The Melling Interchange in Hutt Valley.

Another Auckland Harbour crossing

The Labour government shared its plans for three tunnels, two for vehicles and one for light rail, across Auckland's Waitematā Harbour earlier this year.

Traffic on the Auckland Harbour Bridge (file photo)

National said it's also committed to a second crossing "that at a minimum provides for additional road connections between Auckland's North Shore and the CBD".

A second Mt Victoria Tunnel

National said it plans to build a second, wider tunnel in parallel to Wellington's existing Mt Victoria Tunnel.

The party said the second tunnel will provide two lanes for traffic going to the airport, while the existing tunnel will offer two lanes for traffic heading into the city.

Other roading projects

National's transport policy included plans for several other new roads.

These include:

  • Developing Auckland's Mill Rd into a 21.5km highway between Manukau and Drury.
  • Building an East West Link connecting SH20 at Auckland's Onehunga and SH1 and Mt Wellington.
  • The Hope Bypass in Tasman, which the party says "will create a new route for traffic travelling on SH6 through Richmond (south of Nelson), bypassing the current stretch of state highway on Gladstone Road".
  • Extending the Canterbury Northern Motorway from Belfast through to Pegasus, bypassing Woodend.

Transport infrastructure upgrades are also on the cards for Ashburton, Queenstown, Otago and Southland.

National shared its key resilience projects for roads in flood-affected regions, too, including the Hawke's Bay Expressway, SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills, SH5 between Napier and Taupō, and SH2 between Napier and Gisborne.

Plans for public transport

National's policy offered some action on public transport links around Auckland and the lower North Island.

Christopher Luxon (left) and Nicola Willis (right) at Parliament following the 2023 general election (file photo).

Its plans include a North West Rapid Transit corridor, an Airport to Botany Busway, and an Eastern Busway for the country's biggest city.

It has also revealed plans for improvements to increase capacity and reliability on train services in the lower North Island.

What do people make of these plans?

National's transport plans were welcomed by the freight industry body, National Road Carriers Association.

The Employers and Manufacturers' Association (EMA) also supported the policy, saying the roading infrastructure was "much needed" to support economic growth, freight and people movement around the upper North Island.

Meanwhile, the Green Party was among the plan's biggest detractors, with transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter saying it would make pollution and congestion worse.

"You cannot build your way out of traffic congestion by making more roads," she said.

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