Expressway repairs

The $649 million Ka¯ piti Expressway is a boon for local and national motorists in providing safer and faster journeys but there are serious accountability questions about systemic failures by the NZTA which designed and supervised construction.

It was opened almost three years ago and has been dogged by lengthy reconstruction work to fix leaking stretches.

It’s reported that just over half the $25.2m repair bill will have to be paid by taxpayers.

That’s a rip-off because taxpayers had no say in the design and construction and no responsibility for the failures which lie squarely with the NZTA.

It’s time the Controller and Auditor General took a good hard look at how the NZTA gets away with huge budget over-runs on roading projects like this and challenges the NZTA’s accountability processes. CHRIS TURVER WAIKANAE BEACH