Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Govt to spend more on transport consultants

Updated at 10:45 pm on 17 July 2012

The Government plans to spend another $200 million on transport consultants for its roads of national significance.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has told Parliament a further $228 million has been budgeted for investigation and design work done on the roads over the next four years.

Radio New Zealand News reported on Monday transport consultants have received $200 million since 2009 for work done on the roads of national significance.

Mr Brownlee told Parliament on Tuesday afternoon another $138 million has been budgeted for investigation and design work to be done over the next three years, and a further $90 million from 2015.

Labour Party transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says the Government's spending on consultants is reckless, when it could be done cheaper in-house.

He says consultants have done the design work for five of the sevens roads, when only one or two roads can be built at any one time because the country doesn't have the construction capacity or the budget.

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