The announcement today of the successful tenderer for the Auckland Victoria Park Tunnel project underlines the National-led Government’s commitment to the economy and job creation, says Prime Minister John Key.

Mr Key today attended a ceremony marking the announcement of the successful tenderer for the project, which is expected to take four years to complete and cost $340 million to construct.

The Victoria Park State Highway 1 bottleneck was identified earlier this year as a Road of National Significance, marking it out for priority treatment.

“In April the Government announced that the start of construction would be brought forward by a year, thanks to the Government’s billion dollar boost to state highway funding.

“It is estimated that 120 people will be working on the project within six months. This will rise to about 300 by the middle of next year, and will be maintained until the project is finished. That does not include the downstream impact for businesses and workers involved in road-building and related work.

“The project is divided into two parts, the first of which is expected to start later this year.

“National was elected on a platform of unclogging the country’s economic arteries, and Budget 2009 reinforced our commitment to investment in vitally important infrastructure - including transport.

“We believe more investment in good quality infrastructure can boost productivity, unlock economic potential, lift non-inflationary growth, and of course create and maintain employment.

“The new Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding will deliver an extra $1 billion investment in State Highways, bringing the total investment in the next three years to $3 billion.”