Communities on both sides of the Manawatū Gorge have been waiting around seven years for the new highway through the gorge to be completed.
With the replacement road, Te Ahu a Turanga, due for completion by mid-2025, locals are looking forward to travelling on a safe and efficient route through the gorge.
So I think it’s unacceptable for our community to now learn that National plans to toll this highway – a road that is a much-needed, long-awaited reliable replacement road connecting us to the Wairarapa and beyond.
Te Ahu a Turanga is an 11.5km stretch of road that will be delivered next year, on time and on budget. That’s a fact I would say was thanks to Labour who committed to it, paid for it and began construction when we were in Government.
Even though locals have already paid for Te Ahu a Turanga through their taxes, the National Government is now considering charging a $4.30 toll for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles each time they travel on the road.
I see this as being National trying to plug their $6 billion transport funding hole by having locals and businesses in our region pay for other projects across New Zealand.
I think this suggestion is an absolute kick in the guts for the people of Manawatū and Tararua.
The Government’s inability to balance its transport books should not come at the expense of residents and businesses of the wider Manawatū, Tararua and Palmerston North areas.
Recently I attended and spoke at a packed public meeting in Woodville where locals were extremely concerned about this proposal.
I support their concerns and their view that this replacement highway should not be tolled. I’m hearing about the direct impact an $8.60 return trip toll will have on families, and I have written to the Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, calling on him to stop this proposal in its tracks immediately.
This proposal has come at an extremely late stage, and is totally unacceptable in my opinion. Labour is not against toll proposals, but they should be clearly signalled prior to the roads being built.
Equity considerations are also important - not everyone is able to regularly pay a toll. Alternative routes need to be available, and maintained, but if tolling goes ahead, their upkeep will become the responsibility of local councils already struggling to cover costs.
Other tolled roads in the region should be considered, and National has also signalled its intention to toll the new Ōtaki to north of Levin highway, which will affect those travelling between Palmerston North and Wellington.
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi wants to hear your thoughts about its plans to toll these roads.
If you have concerns about the proposals, I strongly encourage you to have your say.
Submissions can be made here and are open until October 7. You can also write to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown to let him know your thoughts at S.Brown@ministers.govt.nz.
