Judy Ashworth said in 2019 the stress generated by uncertainty around the expressway had taken a serious toll on her marriage.
Judy Ashworth said in 2019 the stress generated by uncertainty around the expressway had taken a serious toll on her marriage.
The Horowhenua District Council briefly jumped on the barricades out of frustration with the latest Government communication regarding the Horowhenua Expressway (Ō2NL).
The council wrote a stern reply to Transport Minister David Parker, who earlier sent the council “a non-committal letter... [which] has left Horowhenua District councillors unimpressed and wanting more certainty”, a statement issued on Wednesday said.
It had the desired effect, though. Soon after receiving the letter, the minister rang to say it was all an “administrative error”.
The Build Our Road Campaign emphasised the importance of the Horowhenua Expressway for the district.
“In what may feel like a chapter from the never-ending story, Horowhenua District councillors have once again sought assurances from the Government to ensure funding is committed for the entire Ōtaki to North of Levin (Ō2NL) expressway project,” the council statement said.
“The project, estimated to cost around $1.5 billion, has had approval for the completion of the pre-implementation phase, which includes purchase of property, procurement, lodging of consents and site investigation, but funding for the construction phase is still subject to approval from the joint ministers.
“Media coverage and previous conversations with former Minister of Transport Michael Wood had given council assurances that the Ō2NL expressway project was going ahead.”
What looked like the latest flipflop from the Government, particularly the Cabinet, who were still holding back on signing off the project, had the local council fuming as it affects not only local business development and lives, but creates uncertainty for affected homeowners, and frustrates council development plans.
The Ō2NL project includes the construction of a four-lane expressway with a range of safety features, including median barriers, wider shoulders, new intersections and a shared walking and cycling pathway. Approximately 21 kilometres of a total 24km of the new highway is proposed to be built within the Horowhenua District.
For the people of Horowhenua and more broadly, Ō2NL means safer roads, access to social and economic opportunities, transport choices and resilience.
In June 2019 then-Ōtaki MP Nathan Guy led a protest march through Levin emphasising the uncertainty around the Horowhenua Expressway. The marchers, many of whom were impacted residents, got plenty of thumbs-up support from local businesses and shoppers.
“Some in our community are living their lives with the handbrake on, waiting for certainty from central government on Ō2NL so they can move on,” Deputy Mayor David Allan said.
“It seems unfair and a little misleading that central government has painted a picture that the project is on track to commence in 2025, when in fact funding to construct the road has not yet been committed,” Allan said.
“It is our job as elected members to advocate for our community and, with this particular project, that means ensuring they have certainty, and the project achieves legacy outcomes that will benefit not just this generation, but those yet to come.”
So the council has grabbed for the pen or keyboard to express its displeasure, as this is about much more than politics - and it is far too close to the elections to toy with already-frayed emotions in Horowhenua.
Transport Minister David Parker briefly upset Horowhenua with what the council describes as a non-committal letter about the future of the expressway. He has now confirmed signoff of the project by Cabinet. Photo / NZME
The council’s statement said it was time for all political parties to declare where they stood on the matter.
“On Wednesday 19 July, council again wrote to the Minister of Transport, Hon David Parker, expressing their frustrations and seeking a funding commitment that will leave no room for uncertainty,” it said.
“In a bid to remove politics from the equation, council implores all parties to support the full funding of Ō2NL, or at the very least let the public know where they stand on the matter, so that voters can make an informed choice in the upcoming election.”
The letter from the Horowhenua District Council caused a bit of an uproar in Wellington, prompting the minister to pick up the phone. Later that day he wrote another letter saying Cabinet had now approved the $1.5b needed to build Ō2NL.
