John Williamson: We need a new system for funding roads in Northland and NZ

Northlanders have been drawing attention to the dire state of our roads - like State Highway 1 (pictured). Photo / Michael Cunningham

OPINION

I was at the NZAA national conference in Napier in 2005 when Don Brash, the then leader of the National Party, arrived to make an announcement. He announced that National Party election policy that year would be the full hypothecation of road user charges and fuel excise to be repatriated to the roads.

There was a great cheer because the AA had been advocating that for years. Brash accepted the approbation and left the conference.

We were a bit surprised because guest speakers of that importance usually hang around for questions, but he had other priorities. The mood of the conference immediately lifted.

If only it were that simple today. Back then, transport was dominated by roads with cars and trucks. Rail was in its death throes under private ownership. Public transport, walking and cycling weren't a serious part of the mix, and the answer to the growing transport needs was more and better roads.

Back then only about 75 per cent of the revenue collected from road users went to the roading budget, with the balance being needed for the ubiquitous consolidated fund.

Fortunately, that change has been made and while road funding relates to revenue collected, the taxpayer does stump up significant funds to upgrade the system. However, the likes of rail, coastal shipping, walking, cycling and public transport now have their snouts in the road funding trough.

Throughout the country and particularly in Northland, we've been calling out the appalling state of our roads.

It is no secret Northland's roads, such as the Waitmate North Rd pictured here, are in need of some TLC. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Some commentators have been sheeting this deterioration back to the notion of "sweating the asset", arising from the Roading Efficiency Group's approach that some roads can be left to deteriorate in the interests of maintaining and upgrading other higher-use roads.

Now with the unusual weather events, even these roads are packing it in.

The long-term closure of the Mangamuka Gorge for the second time in 12 months raises the question about the future of that road. There are remarkable similarities to the final closure of the Manawatu Gorge in 2017 and the need to establish the new alternative Saddle Rd route, which will be finally completed in 2024.

But what will be the new Mangamuka route?

In 2020, the AA estimated that an extra $900 million was needed for basic road maintenance for the present three-year National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) funding period.

The Government did stump up an extra $500m but clearly, this is not enough - most particularly when the cost of emergency repairs from weather damage is considered.

Apparently, Waka Kotahi told the Transport Minister earlier this year that it had already spent 80 per cent of its 2021-24 NLTP budget for local road emergency works and that does not include costs for the recent damage in Northland, Nelson, Tasman, Wellington and West Coast.

Waka Kotahi expects emergency repairs to be an increasing demand for funds and staff time, and that this is likely to start impacting safety upgrade and emission projects.

But this issue is really only the start of a need for a completely new system of funding roads. No matter what notions might be had about public transport, walking, cycling, electric vehicles or increased use of rail and coastal shipping, the need for decent roads in Northland will not go away.

It's in the nature of a social contract between residents and the institutions that govern us that, once a road is built, it is expected to be maintained at an adequate standard for its continued use.

We as citizens, road users, ratepayers and taxpayers need to continue to advocate strongly for properly funded roads because, regardless of how much we grow other transport modes including trains, ferries, buses, cycling and walking, the demands on our roads aren't going to diminish any time soon.