Christchurch is heading the way of Auckland, according to the AA.

In its submission on the latest Transit New Zealand Draft 2006 10-Year State Highway Forecast, the AA’s Canterbury District Council says that major traffic gridlock, as currently experienced in Auckland, is highly likely in less than 10 years.

“Christchurch City is facing 4 per cent annual traffic growth on the main arterial routes – that’s 48 per cent growth over 10 years. And our local ‘ring route’ is experiencing as much as 8 percent traffic growth per annum,” says the AA’s Canterbury District Manager John McCann.

“Christchurch residents should be outraged that Transit has not been given sufficient funding to undertake the major road construction projects required to keep Canterbury’s traffic moving.”

“Without the necessary roading infrastructure, it’s highly likely that within 10 years we need are going to end up with major gridlock, just like Auckland!”

“Unless the roads are built Christchurch city and Canterbury’s economy will suffer”, says Mr McCann.

For more information contact

John McCann
Regional Manager - Canterbury
New Zealand Automobile Association
M. +64 21 755 503