What the parties say about transport

LABOUR

Implement the $227 million Moving Forward package to deal with roading problems, passenger transport, rail, regional development, cycling and walking. Greater use of tolls and partnerships between public and private sectors to finance projects. Promote public transport, develop fuel consumption labelling and reporting for selected road vehicles. Promote road safety.

NATIONAL

Bring in legislation to fast-track completion of the Auckland motorway network. Legislate to allow public-private partnerships in the construction of roads and road tolls to finance new roads and public transport. Amend the Resource Management Act to speed up the hearing process for roads of strategic importance.

GREENS

Spend $100 million on sustainable transport initiatives. Sponsor a Road Traffic Reduction Bill. Promote car sharing programmes, internet-based car pooling, and inner city living and working and improve cycling and pedestrian facilities and public transport services. Impose a five-year moratorium on building major new urban roads and motorways. Set up rapid rail/busway system in Auckland.

ACT

Encourage introduction of economic pricing for road use. Encourage private involvement in road construction. Protect road-user interests by encouraging competition between routes and by long-term contracts. Make road safety a road operators' responsibility. Reduce and eventually eliminate the exploitation of petrol taxes for general revenue use.

NEW ZEALAND FIRST

Structure Transit/Transfund on a commercial basis. Upgrade highways. Phase out the excise tax, which goes into the consolidated account, and provide more financial resources for roading and other transport areas. Establish a road safety review committee. Ensure that speed camera revenue is used to promote safer driving practices.

JIM ANDERTON'S PROGRESSIVE COALITION

Progress planning on the importance of rail as part of an integrated transport strategy and possibly buy back rail networks. Examine ways of restoring viability of shipping industry. Develop cycle/bus lanes. Consider toll charges and public/private partnerships only under strict conditions.

ALLIANCE

Create publicly funded, fully integrated public transport systems e.g. rapid bus systems. Maintain the roading network to a high standard. Shift funding from road construction to public transport and channel a greater share of fuel tax into transport systems. Focus on safety standards in road construction and maintenance, vehicle standards and driver education.

UNITED FUTURE

Abolish the Land Transport Safety Authority and reassign its functions to the Ministry of Transport. Spend more on fuel efficiency and energy conservation programmes. Set ACC premiums for motorists at a flat rate, pay as you go. Reduce licence fees, set up a national driver education centre and upgrade traffic control and monitoring.

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