The Government has put aside up to $550 million for railways in Northland, including a long-awaited rail link to Northport, above.
The Government has put aside up to $550 million for railways in Northland, including a long-awaited rail link to Northport, above.
The Government will spend up to $550 million upgrading Northland's rail system, including a long-awaited rail link to Northport at Marsden Pt.
Northport - the region's deepwater port - was granted consent without the need for a rail link to the port, but there's been a push in recent years to get a rail link to help transport goods, particularly if it starts taking containers full-time.
Northport last week began the process to be recognised as a container ship port.
It confirmed its intention to apply for resource consent to expand its eastern end while continuing to develop proposals for a shipyard and dry dock on its western side.
The land for the rail link has already been designated and the geotechnical work has been completed by KiwiRail.
And at this week's Regional Transport Committee (RTC) meeting, Waka Kotahi NZTA's North Island director regional relationships Steve Mutton said the body would be spending between $450 million and $550m on the new Port Marsden to Whangārei rail link.
He would not be drawn on exactly how much of that total would be spent on the rail link, as the funding was also for upgrades to the Whangārei to Otiria rail line.
No further details of the spend, such as when work starts and how long it will take, have been released at this stage.
The Government had earlier halted plans to four-lane State Highway One from Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway (SH15) and instead diverted funding to a Port Marsden to Whangārei rail link – and SH1 upgrades along the route.
But this has raised the ire of one Northland roading leader who is calling for a judicial review of the decision to can the multimillion-dollar four-lane highway from Whangārei to Port Marsden.
RTC member Ann Court said she wanted a judicial review of the information the Government had used in reaching its decision last June to halt the four-laning.
The SH1 Whangārei to Port Marsden project was to be an upgraded 22km, four-lane corridor. It was axed by the Government in June, shocking local community leaders.
Northland roading leader and Far North Deputy Mayor Ann Court wants a judicial review of the Government decision to can a four lane highway south of Whangārei.
Court said Northland's voice had obviously not been adequately heard.
She said the four-laning had been clearly justified through the Waka Kotahi-commissioned business case "Connecting Northland".
She said the business case for the new rail scenario had yet to go to the Government, but it was apparently progressing anyway. This business case will address scope, cost and timing for the new plan.
Court said it was not okay to divert roading money collected from Northlanders through road user charges and fuel excise tax into rail, at the expense of the four-laning and adequate roading.
"We are not just going to roll over and accept that," said Court, who is also Far North Deputy Mayor.
Court said Northland contributed significantly towards road funding but was not part of making decisions about how its use played out locally.
"We need to be at the table as part of these conversations," Court said.
She said it did not make good sense for the Government to channel four-laning spending to KiwiRail, an entity with "no skin in the game" when it came to roading.
Mutton told the RTC meeting the Government was committed to a Northland roading and transport spend that was much the same as the $700m it had previously announced.
After the change of tack on four-laning, the Government would be spending $150m to $200m on SH1 safety improvements on the "northern package", he said.
Mutton said safety work on the SH1 "northern" section between the highway's Port Marsden roundabout and Whangārei was being rescoped after the Government halted funding for four-laning for this stretch.
He said earlier four-laning preparations would inform current work on this section of SH1. Mutton said work on the highway's "central" section - from the SH1 Port Marsden roundabout to the north side of the Brynderwyns – was under way.
A Government decision not to four lane State Highway One south of Whangārei may be challenged in court.
Alternative designs for original Waipū SH1 safety upgrades were being developed "after feedback from the community and stakeholders".
Waipū residents in January strongly opposed Waka Kotahi effectively funnelling all SH1 traffic into and out of the hamlet through its quiet main street. This was to be done in a three-part plan effectively shutting off its southern SH1 access via The Braigh and northern access via Nova Scotia Drive and sending all vehicles via a Shoemaker Rd/SH1 roundabout.
Mutton said planned "central" section safety work was due to start mid-2022. It included wider centre lines, a flexible median barrier and side safety barriers near Ruakākā School. Geotechnical work was starting. Conversations with affected landowners and communities were also under way.
Mutton said the "southern" SH1 section from the southern side of the Brynderwyns to Wellsford was at the detailed design stage and discussions were being held with stakeholders.
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