Road upkeep 'underfunded'

By CLAIRE TREVETT

Rural and provincial councils say the Government is generous with funding new roads, but needs to pay more for upkeep.

Road funding body Transfund pays councils 60 per cent of the cost of new road works, but an average of 50 per cent for ongoing maintenance costs.

While Local Government New Zealand appreciated the extra funding for new works, it said Transfund should also pay 60 per cent of maintenance because councils in rural and provincial areas did not have the rating base to cover the costs.

But Transfund chief executive Wayne Donnelly said maintenance funding was already geared to help the councils that needed it most.

Although spending totalled 50 per cent, councils in cities received 43 per cent and some rural councils received up to 70 per cent funding for maintenance.

Mr Donnelly said Transfund was spending more on building new roads to encourage infrastructure.

Transfund had also set up projects in rural areas, such as 100 per cent funding to build roads used for forestry in Northland, Gisborne and Wairoa, costing $23 million a year.

Northland Regional Council councillor Ian Walker said the council was struggling to maintain its roads without taking on more.

It spent 60 per cent of its revenue on roading, leaving less money for services such as sewerage.

Although only 26 per cent of Far North roads were sealed, compared with the national average of 60 per cent, the extra cost of maintaining sealed roads made it difficult to build more.

Mr Walker said it was increasingly unrealistic to expect a provincial council with a small rating base to pay for road maintenance.

Ashburton Mayor Murray Anderson said Transfund should be able to increase its average to 60 per cent from its present resources.

"The increased wear and tear of heavy vehicles on our rural roads is placing an unfair burden on our smaller communities."

Mr Donnelly said any change in funding needed to be decided by the Government, not Transfund.