It’s political... WHAT THE POLITICIANS THINK ABOUT TRUCKING THE NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING INDUSTRY FACES many challenges – many of them influenced by Government policy. Apart from the many problems currently created by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s the ongoing driver shortage, the worsening state of the nation’s roading network and looming emissions reduction legislation… So, who among our political parties offers any
salvation for the industry in these situations? To have some insight into what politicians are thinking about issues impacting the road transport industry, NZ Truck & Driver has offered each of the major political parties the opportunity to voice their views on trucking matters each month. This month, only the ACT Party has responded to the opportunity. T&D
Government dressing up a lack of planning as a safety initiative By Simon Court, ACT Party spokesperson on transport
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ORTHLAND IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING REGIONS IN New Zealand, with the population increasing by 18.1 per cent over five years to 179,076, according to 2018 Census figures. In 2018 Waka Kotahi NZTA planned new infrastructure for Northland worth $156 million over three years. The Government has a new plan, the Road to Zero, and wants to reduce speed limits across Northland from 100km/h to 80kmh/h. From just past Wellsford up to Kaitaia and beyond, all traffic would be limited to a maximum speed of 80km/h. There is only $103 million to upgrade Northland roads over three years from 2021, but a whopping $130 million for safety improvements like wire rope barriers, removing passing lanes and applying buckets of paint. Waka Kotahi saw the Whangarei to Port Marsden four-laning project as vital to deliver improved safety and efficiency. Of the 19,000 vehicle journeys per day, 13% are freight on that part of the network. Announced by the Labour led government in February 2020, the project was cancelled in June 2021. When the Minister of Transport visited Northland a few weeks prior he left mayors, councillors and stakeholders assured the project would proceed. Yet weeks later he claimed the cost to deliver NZ Upgrade roading projects had more than doubled, and they had run out of money. I asked the Minister, when did he decide to cancel the project? He replied that the Government has not cancelled the project, it has been rescoped to provide a new rail link to Northport and targeted major safety upgrades to State Highway 1. The Minister also confirmed that there is no plan to protect the route for future four-laning, because it would cost too much. The Government are planning to fail our road transport industry and communities around the country who depend on efficient road services. Compare this to the ultra-fast broadband project. The government of the day asked the telcos to work out the best way to get more data to more customers. Then they put them together with Crown Infrastructure Partners to raise $1 billion to build a new fibre network. Imagine if the government had instead forced the telcos to lower the speed limit on your modem to manage demand? New Zealand would have been left behind the rest of the world. There is a real risk that regions like Northland will be left behind if it
Simon Court takes too long to get their people and goods to ports and markets. That is why politicians should not be deciding what project goes ahead, and whether it is road or rail. That should be up to the experts who manage our roads and infrastructure. ACT would entrust long term planning and decision making to a new Nation Building Agency. The Nation Building Agency would prioritise transport projects by combining the knowledge and smarts of the independent Infrastructure Commission with Crown Infrastructure Partners ability to raise money and would deliver more infrastructure and faster. That is how we will stay connected and grow together as a nation, not by dressing up a lack of planning and funding as a safety initiative. T&D Truck & Driver | 95
