Labour likely to continue expressway

Horowhenua Vintage Car Club members Rachael and Rebecca Gibson, in a 1964 Sunbeam Alpine, lining up to drive the length of the new Mackays to Peka Peka expressway.

The Horowhenua expressway project would likely continue under a Labour government, but after a six-month delay to review it, says Labour's transport spokesperson Michael Wood.

With the National-led Government green-lighting the expressway after years of uncertainty, its future has risen again with recent polls for next week's general election showing a change of government is possible.

Michael Wood said the evidence he'd seen indicated the expressway looked like a good project.

"We know there is a need for an upgrade in your area. We know it is a serious project with serious drivers behind it."

A Labour government would take six months after the election for an evidence-based review of major roading projects around New Zealand, he said.

"We want to move reasonably quickly to give the community certainty about the way ahead," he said.

Mr Wood said Labour supported sensible roading projects where they stacked up.
Incumbent Otaki MP, and a minister in the National-led government, Nathan Guy said he strongly supported the roading improvements in the region, including Transmission Gully, the Kapiti expressway, the Otaki to North of Levin expressway and beyond.

"The community recognises we already have a form of bypass [at Levin] with a growing number of vehicles using SH57 and a full bypass has been on the cards for decades.

Community feedback suggests solid support for SH1 going around Levin," he said.

"No decisions have been made on the exact route and the various options have a number of unique consenting issues, regardless of an eastern or western alignment. Any alignment will need to carefully consider the impact on the environment and the local economy," Mr Guy said.

Otaki Labour candidate Rob McCann said whether a route went west or east of Levin was for the experts to decide. He said it was very disappointing property owners had faced so much ongoing uncertainty and stress over it.

Recent polling shows Labour likely to need the Greens to form a government. Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said expressways were expensive.

"For the amount of money required we could really transform rail and passenger transport and make existing highways safer."

The NZ Transport Agency plans to release final route options for the expressway late next month with a decision to be made on the final route next year.

An informal survey last week on a local Facebook page - Livin in Levin - showed 129 respondents wanting the route to the west of Lake Horowhenua and 54 wanting it to the east of Levin.

That is similar to NZTA feedback, with 95 respondents wanting an expressway west of Levin, 32 wanting it to the east, and 86 having no opinion.

NZTA has previously favoured and planned for an eastern expressway route along SH57.