KEY POINTS:
National has said it will complete the Waikato Expressway within 10 years at a cost of $790m.
The funding is above the amount already committed by the government and would involve three extra legs to the project, including the Huntly and Cambridge bypasses.
National leader John Key said at the announcement at Te Rapa, Hamilton today: "I want to stress there will be no tolls on this road."
National would pay for the project from its previously outlined $3.7 billion infrastructure borrowing programme, he said.
The expressway is made up of eight sections. Two have been completed and, of the remaining six, only three are on Land Transport New Zealand's work programme for the next decade.
Mr Key said National would give the road priority treatment in a bid to boost economic growth in the region.
He claimed the moves would reduce the journey time from Mercer to Cambridge by 20 minutes and save millions of litres is reduced fuel consumption.
"it will reduce costs and travel time between Auckland and Hamilton as well as between Auckland and Tauranga," he said.
Mr Key also delivered a mild rebuke to his transport spokesman Maurice Williamson who yesterday again raised the issue of road tolls.
Mr key said this was 'premature" and said he was the party leader and he would make the decisions on which roads would be tolled if National formed the next government.
National Q&A on the expressway
- with NZPA
