The government's latest plan to pour money into Auckland roads is gutting for Northland roading advocates.
March Madness is in full-swing in Auckland, with higher than normal congestion on main roads and motorways. Photo: 123RF
The region's transport committee chair, John Bain, said it was bad enough to hear last week that the government's scrapped plans to rebuild State Highway 1, south of Whangarei.
But he said to hear that one Auckland project alone will have $5 billion spent on it, was devastating.
John Bain said Auckland mayor, Phil Goff, is to be congratulated for securing so much funding for his city - but he's done so at the expense of the regions.
He said State Highway 1 to Northland is the region's economic lifeline and is in many places unsafe and past its use-by date.
The Transport Agency said there have been 307 crashes on the highway between Whangarei and Puhoi in the past 5 years; with 36 people killed and 444 injured.