Transport minister Steven Joyce says the Government is committed to funding Auckland's rail electrification but will not write blank cheques for related projects such as integrated ticketing and station upgrades.
The Government has scrapped the regional fuel tax that had been earmarked for the rail electrification and a series of associated projects.
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons says Cabinet papers and Treasury papers show fewer Aucklanders would use the rail system without the extra services.
She says Aucklanders are being shortchanged because the region will not be able to find the money for projects that would make the rail electrification much more worthwhile.
Steven Joyce says the Government plans to help where possible, but the viability of each project must be examined.
He says some may be funded via the New Zealand Transport Agency, but the Government will not write blank cheques beyond the half-billion dollar electrification.
