$38 on highways for every dollar on public transport

• James Henderson
• 11 years ago
• Categories: transport

Key is busy explaining that his petrol tax increase won’t just be funding his pet highway projects – the ‘Roads of National Significance’. He says it’ll go on public transport, too. Well, yeah, maybe. But the truth is that National is slashing public transport funding while pouring massive amounts into the RoNS even as traffic volumes fall and public transport demand rises.

By next year, National will be spending a jaw-dropping $38 on the RoNS for every dollar spent on public transport. That ratio was $5.6:$1 when they came to power.

So, when you ask ‘where’s our petrol tax money going?’ the answer is – on a few duplicate highways that the vast majority of people won’t use.

I’ve graphed the data from the Greens’ release: