Time savings from Roads of National Significance

Labour and the Greens regularly slate the seven Roads of National Significance that National has identified and funded as priorities.

Now my view is that generally all transport decisions should be based on a there being a positive benefit to cost ratio, and in fact petrol tax levels should adjust to fund all transport projects that have a significant benefit to cost ratio.

The Greens recently asked some PQs to the Minister of Transport of some of the RONS. Not surprisingly they have not highlighted the answers. They are:

• Waikato Expressway will save 35 minutes off peak time travel between the Bombay Hills and some four kilometres south of Cambridge township – that is around a 33% improvement in time.
• The Wellington Northern Corridor will save 45 minutes northwards in the afternoon peak and 35 minutes southwards in the morning peak, between North Levin and Wellington Airport. That is a 45% reduction in travel time northwards!
• The Puhoi to Wellsford RONS will save 26 minutes southbound and 15 minutes northbound during peak times, between Johnson Hill Tunnels and south of Te Hana. That is around a 70% reduction in travel time southbound and a 45% reduction northbound.

Worth remembering that when people rail against them.