News
Parliament delays vote on the transport budget
The vote moves to next week after two coalition members asked to rewrite the rail section. Road projects are unaffected.
Political editor
4 min read
The chamber emptied quickly after the speaker announced the delay.
The transport budget was meant to pass on Friday. It will now come back next Thursday, after two members of the governing coalition said they would not vote for the rail section as written.
The rest of the bill, including road maintenance, is expected to pass unchanged.
What changed
The disputed clause would move money from regional rail lines to the intercity network. Members from rural districts argue it closes stations their voters use every day.
Nobody is against faster trains. We are against faster trains that do not stop where people live.
The transport ministry says the stations in question carry fewer than fifty passengers a day and that buses would replace them.
What happens next
A rewritten clause is expected on Monday. If it keeps the regional stations open, the budget is likely to pass with a narrow majority.
Daniel Szabo
Political editor
Daniel covers parliaments, coalitions and the policies that come out of them.
