Transport announcement: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to speak in Auckland

National says it will start construction on stage one of Auckland’s long-awaited Mill Rd in 2028 if the party is re-elected next month.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made the announcement in Auckland this morning, which is being livestreamed at the top of this article.Mill Rd is a new four-lane, 21.5km corridor running alongside State Highway 1 from Manukau to Drury and is regarded as a Road of National Significance.National will also progress route protection on stages two and three, the party’s Transport spokesman Chris Bishop says.“South Auckland is one of the fastest-growing parts of the country and Drury is at the centre of that growth, but the roading network hasn’t kept up.“People travelling between Drury, Papakura and Manukau are funnelled onto an already congested Southern Motorway, while roads like Redoubt Rd and the existing Mill Rd were built for a semi-rural community, not tens of thousands of new households,” Bishop said.According to Bishop, stage one between Manukau and Alfriston, is one of the highest-ranked projects on the Government’s Major Transport Projects Pipeline and has a benefit-cost ratio of 3.1 if not tolled, or 2.2 if tolled.National's Transport spokesman Chris Bishop.“NZTA estimates stage one will reduce congestion by 30% on the corridor, cut journey times by 25%, and result in a more than 60% reduction in deaths and serious injuries,” Bishop said.National would allocate $1.75 billion in Budget 2028 so construction can begin in the late-2028 construction season.“The NZTA Board has endorsed the investment case, and NZTA is completing the design work and taking the project through the fast-track process to secure the consents it needs.“After years of debate and discussion about Mill Rd, National in government is getting on with it.“In addition to starting construction on stage one, National will allocate $100 million to progress route protection on stages two and three,” Bishop added.More to come...