National agrees to pay for $1 billion Mill Road Corridor project

The National Party says it will foot the bill for Auckland's near $1 billion Mill Road Corridor project, taking it off the council's hands, if re-elected to government.

The $955m roading project through Manukau, Papakura and Drury will be declared a state highway, as part of a broader Auckland transport policy announced by party transport spokesman Simon Bridges and leader Bill English at Airport Oaks today.

The party says the change would mean the road would be funded through the government's National Land Transport Fund, freeing up Auckland Transport to use the money elsewhere.

"We know more needs to be done. That's why National is committed to ensuring Auckland's transport needs are met," Bridges said.

Election 2017: English defends Ntional's record

Bill English on the campaign trail in South Auckland ...

Video Player is loading.

Play Video

PlaySkip Backward

Mute

Current Time 0:00

/

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0%

0:00

Stream Type LIVE

Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE

Remaining Time -0:00

 

1x

Playback Rate

Chapters

• Chapters

Descriptions

• descriptions off, selected

Subtitles

• subtitles settings, opens subtitles settings dialog
• subtitles off, selected

Audio Track

Fullscreen

This is a modal window.

Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

Text

ColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-Transparent

Text Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparent

Caption Area Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque

Font Size

50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%

Text Edge Style

NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop shadow

Font Family

Proportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps

Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone

Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

NOW PLAYING • Election 2017: English defends Ntional's record

Bill English on the campaign trail in South Auckland ...

All-Access. All in one subscription.

Subscribe now

All-Access + BusinessDesk Weekly

Pay just

$10

$2

per week

Subscribe now

BEST VALUE

All-Access + BusinessDesk Annual

Pay just

$349

$49

per year

Subscribe now

Learn more

30

National has also promised to work with the council to speed up development of the Eastern Busway, Northwestern Busway and a mass transit solution between the city's CBD and airport.

Bridges also committed a fourth-term National government to starting construction on the proposed $1.85b East-West Link State Highway, building a third main rail line and extending rail electrification to Pukekohe.

English told reporters the decision to take over the Mills Road project was part of an ongoing discussion with Auckland Council.

"Also upgrading it to a State Highway would mean Auckland would have two entrances from the south," he said.

Asked whether the party was focusing too much on roads, English said National had committed to partly funding the Auckland's $3.4b City Rail Link as fast as possible and was also working on improvements to buses and rail across the city.

"It's quite balanced between dealing with the growing volume of traffic and at the same time as investing in the growing patronage of public transport," he said.

NZN