Thomas Coughlan: NZ Herald deputy political editor on Chris Bishop's announcements about roading projects

Works toward improved public transport for northwest Auckland are a step closer after an investment case was endorsed by the Transport Agency, the Minister of Transport says.

The announcement on the Northwest Rapid Transit plan - which includes public transport on State Highway 16 (SH16) from Brigham Creek to the city centre and a Northwest Busway - was made by Chris Bishop earlier in the week.

NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan explains further.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks AB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Thomas Coglan, New Zealand Herald political editor joins me. Now,
good morning, Thomas, Francesca. Chris Bishop has had a big
week of announcing roads. We've had the north On Express
Mill Road, Western Rapid Transit. He's on fire, he is.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
It's a bit of a charm offensive up in Auckland.
I think, just sort of reminding the super city, the
city that decides who wins and loses elections, that the
government cares about them. I mean, the big one is
that Northold Expressway. The government announced the preferred route for
the first stage of that. That's a ten billion dollar
road we think, which will ultimately link Auckland with They're

(00:54):
building it in stages because and the first stage has
finally had its route, preferred route plotted picked and the
way in which it will skirt the Brindurwans, which I
must say, as a welling Tony and I'm not not
overly familiar with the geography, but I understand, I understand

(01:16):
that that that land around the brindur Wins is pretty
difficult to build a road through. So that's been the
main the main hold of it for that road. But
they've they have worked out what they want to do
with that, which I believe is to sort of somewhat
skirt them.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Oh you're still with me, Thomas, Hello, Yes, no, we've
still got you. I believe it's all right. I believe
that Chris Bishop may be announcing something to do with
EV's today as well. Do we know anything about that?

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yes, you're you're quite right. So this morning the government
is doing an EV announcement. On the election campaign, the
National Party promised to start building or building out in
New Zealand's EV charging network. I think they were roughly
one thousands EV charges at the moment, and into the

(02:07):
National Party promised to build ten ok sorry get that
number to ten by twenty thirty. That promise made it
through coalition negotiations, so that what we get today is
in that in that area.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Thomas, we seem to be having a few problems with
your line, but I just want to ask you very quickly.
Of course, the Prime Minister was at the Pope's funeral
last night. Do we know where he is traveling to next?

Speaker 3 (02:35):
He's coming home now, So we've got the budget next
next month. So the Prime Minister attacked on that trip
to the Vatican to his week long trip to Europe,
but that that trip is now concluded, so he's winging
his way back to Auckland.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Thank you so much, really appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to news Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.