Auckland authorities need to pull back on plans to do away with hundreds of carparks, says National’s Transport spokesperson David Bennett.

“This absurd plan is just the latest continuation of that anti-car agenda being championed by Michael Wood.

“Aucklanders will be rightly indignant to learn of proposals to abolish hundreds of parks on main arterial roads in order to coax people out of their cars.

“Phil Goff has shown his disappointment in the plan. Now he needs to do everything he can as Mayor to ensure the plan is dumped.

“The Labour Government’s only priority in transport seems to be driving an ideological obsession with getting people out of their cars.

“As the AA has pointed out, the vast majority of Aucklanders will continue to need cars and will need somewhere to park them.

“Mode shift to public transport should be encouraged and incentivised, but not at the punishment of those who need and depend on private vehicles to get around.

“Taking away roadside parking will also further harm many Auckland businesses that are barely surviving and facing the extreme pressures of an ongoing lockdown.”