SH2 upgrade a 'shambles'

Work on life-saving roadworks on Maramarua's "unforgiving highway" is in a shambles, say locals.

Local firefighters are so frustrated they have taken the unusual step of selling detour maps to motorists to try to keep them off one of New Zealand's busiest highways.

The first serious work on the stretch of State Highway 2, which has claimed dozens of lives in the past five years, was meant to confirmed at the end of this month and be under way in October.

But it has been thrown into jeopardy by Land Transport New Zealand, which approves funding for Transit. It considered Transit's application, then asked if the road work could be done more cheaply.

It wants an answer to consider at its July meeting - after the decisions on construction for the year have been made.

Hundreds of Herald on Sunday readers underlined the importance of road works by writing submissions to Transit for consideration in its draft 10-year plan.

A spokeswoman for Transit said the Land Transport NZ board had asked a series of questions "to satisfy itself that Transit had addressed the safety issues in the most cost-effective manner".

A Land Transport NZ spokesman said no decision had been made on the funding application. He said the board had not received the additional information it requested.

The delay has been met with outrage from locals, who say the dithering over cost is obscene.

National's Paul Hutchison, the local MP, accused Land Transport NZ of "mindless irresponsibility" over the delay.

"While Land Transport NZ and the Government dither people will inevitably die - and it's only going to get worse."

A spokeswoman for the Maramarua Rural Fire Brigade, a volunteer force, said maps showing ways around the highway had been printed and were being sold to motorists.

She said official detours often took time to get in place, and left firefighters open to abuse from motorists upset their journey had been complicated.

The maps would help people know about detour routes before the official diversions were in place, and also carried safety information about driving on country roads.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY