Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Auckland Council to push hard for transport funding

Updated at 10:24 am on 29 October 2010

The new Auckland Council is telling the Government it should prepare for tough talk on funding for the new council's transport plans.

Mayor Len Brown campaigned on building an inner city rail loop and rail to the airport and North Shore. At the time, the Government had said candidates would need to consider who would pay for the promised projects.

The chair of the council's transport committee, Mike Lee, says the rail links were not idle election promises and the new council is serious about completing them.

He says its case will be so strong that the Government will find it hard to turn down projects.

"They'll be hearing from us in terms of Auckland wants its share," he said.

"Auckland is an international city, we have to live up to that brand, and that requires some investment in infrastructure, especially rapid transit, transport infrastructure."

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