The road monster needs feeding again, oh woe, what will we do? For 50 years, Aucklanders have been trying to pacify this particular taniwha. We’ve criss-crossed the isthmus, with strip after strip of tarmac in his honour. But it’s never enough. Give me more, he growls, or I’ll bring your city to a grinding halt.
from an article by Brian Rudman ‘$59 billion plan enough to give you road rage‘ in today’s NZ Herald.
Roading budget as rapacious supernatural beast. Whether you agree with his arguments or not, Rudman strikes just the right tone: saying it’s time our planners shook free of their fervent religious belief and unceasing-roading-expansion-as=article-of-faith …
We should confess the road taniwha is an over-fed failure and that after 50 years of favouritism, it’s time to look elsewhere for solutions to our transport woes. The obvious alternative is to redirect our favours and priorities and cash towards fast-tracking Auckland’s promised modern integrated public transport system. Spoil it rotten to make up for decades of neglect. But stay within budget.
Yeah.
– P
