Winston Peters: National 'fallen far short' of byelection promise

Northland MP Winston Peters says National has fallen far short on its byelection promise. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Northland MP Winston Peters says National was clearly "bull dusting" and has fallen far short on its byelection promise to upgrade 10 bridges in Northland after the new national roading plan only included four of the bridges in question.

The new NZ Transport Agency's national roading programme up to 2018 includes $44 million provisional funding to upgrade four bridges in Northland - those in Kaeo, Taipa and two in Matakohe. Even for the Matakohe bridges, the actual construction is not scheduled to begin until 2017/18. The NZTA said further bridges could be considered in the 2018 plan but it ruled out upgrading three of the ten - including the Darbie and Joan Bridge which is flanked by two kauri trees.

Mr Peters, who criticised National for making up the 10-bridges policy on the hop during his successful tilt at the byelection, said National had misled voters. "I think they went up there and bull dusted their way round Northland. They've spent $333 million on urban cycleways whilst country roads have been left totally in disrepair. And I'm going to make sure Northlanders know all about it." Labour's Transport spokesman Phil Twyford also scoffed at Mr Bridges, saying he should be marked four out of ten. He said Northland wasn't the only region to miss out on hoped for upgrades - NZTA also declined to fund Motu Bridge in Gisborne and the Opawa and Wairau bridge in Marlborough.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges said it was possible other funding options could be found for the bridges NZTA would not fund and he would ask the NZTA to reconsider the two bridges it had ruled out in 2018.

"The Government often funds projects that don't always meet NZ Transport Agency criteria. Investigations into these projects will continue and I'm confident we'll find funding to respond to the needs of these regions."

National's byelection promise was criticised as pork barrelling after its candidate Mark Osborne made the announcement alongside Simon Bridges. The promise was to upgrade 10 bridges within six years - giving National until 2021 to fulfill it. At the time, National promised it would deliver on the promise even if it lost the byelection and Prime Minister John Key has said National hopes to regain the seat in 2017.
The estimated costs National provided for all ten were between $32 million and $69 million. NZTA estimates for roading realignment and bridge upgrades for the four it has approved total $44 million.

The NZTA has included funding for safety improvements for State Highway One and designate a major trucking route along Mangakahia Rd as state highway, meaning that NZTA rather than local councils cover the $5 million cost of maintaining it.

Mr Bridges said National remained committed to delivering on its promise of 10 bridges, even if it had to dip into a different Crown pocket rather than rely on the Transport Agency for funding.

He said the preference was for them to be funded by the NZTA but the Government could use Crown funding and would do so even for those bridges that the NZTA did not believe needed upgrading. He denied that effectively meant taxpayers would foot the cost for upgrades that were not needed for the sake of a political argument. He said the Government believed the upgrades were important to local communities for safety and tourism reasons.

He said National had always said it would be over six years and the most urgent upgrades - in Matakohe, Kaeo and Taipa - would be done over the next three years. "We've made it quite clear we are committed to doing those, we will do them over six years."

The Ten Bridges:
Approved in 2015-18 NZ Transport Agency plan:
•Matakohe (Hardies and Andersons): $19.5 million
•Kaeo Bridge on SH1: $12.5 million
•Taipa Bridge: $7-12 million.*
*funding is provisional depending on board approval and business studies

Being considered:
•Tirohanga, Rangiahau and Taheke bridges

Not priority:
•Hallahans Birdge (Waimamaku River, SH12)
•Lowes Bridge (Waimamaku River, SH12)
•Darby and Joan Kauri Bridge, SH12.