Labour’s lack of delivery on transport in Auckland over the past five years means that congestion has significantly worsened for Aucklanders, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says. 

“The Automobile Association’s Congestion Report released today confirms what many Aucklanders experience daily: commuters are spending more time stuck in traffic and for longer.

“Commuters travelling from Papakura into the CBD are averaging an extra seven minutes on the motorway every morning compared with 2019. Those travelling from the North Shore into the CBD also spend an additional three minutes in traffic compared to the same year.

“This is time that motorists won’t get back. It is less time for parents to be at home with their children and less time for people to do the things they enjoy.

“While congestion has been getting worse in Auckland, Labour spent the last four-and-a-half years in endless talk-fests and working groups for Auckland Light Rail, which they promised would be completed to Mt Roskill by 2021.

“While Labour has failed to deliver on their promised light rail, there has also been no progress on critical routes around Auckland such as Mill Road or Penlink, which would significantly improve the roading network in Auckland.

“$50 million was blown on a cancelled cycle bridge while the East-West Link has been scrapped and the Eastern Busway is less than half completed. 

“If Labour hadn’t cancelled so many critical infrastructure projects in Auckland and actually got on with delivering, Aucklanders wouldn’t be facing worsening congestion and would have more transport choices.”