Maria Rowe, Chrissie Stanley and Diane Spain were among the more than 100 people who marched along State Highway 2 in Woodville to protest the proposal to toll Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway.
Maria Rowe, Chrissie Stanley and Diane Spain were among the more than 100 people who marched along State Highway 2 in Woodville to protest the proposal to toll Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway.
Putting a toll on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway will kill the market and kill the town, some Woodville residents say.
Maria Rowe, Chrissie Stanley and Diane Spain were among the more than 100 people marching last weekend to protest the proposal to place a toll on the road, due for completion in mid-2025.
Under the current proposal, those driving between Palmerston North and Woodville in a light vehicle could pay $4.30 per trip, meaning for a return trip they could pay $8.60.
Those driving heavy vehicles would pay $8.60 for one trip, or $17.20 for a return trip.
The majority of businesses that transport goods in and out of the region say they will have to pass the costs on to consumers.
While submissions on the proposal closed last week, many in the district felt the battle was far from over and the campaign would continue.
While the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown and NZTA have called the road either an upgrade or a new road, those against the toll were adamant it was a “replacement road” for the Manawatū Gorge, which was closed permanently by a slip in 2017.
Residents felt there was a principle involved and if they gave in on this, what else might they have to give in on?
“If it doesn’t stop here, where does it?” Rowe said.
Each of the three residents spoken to by the Bush Telegraph said that they were “very angry” about the proposal.
When the gorge was initially closed, there were fears for the townships within the Tararua District, and the completion of the highway had been looked forward to with much excitement.
But if the toll goes ahead, many have already said they would continue to use the alternate routes: the Saddle Rd and Pahīatua Track.
Rowe and Stanley both felt that would lead to the community becoming more isolated and businesses would close down or new businesses would not open.
“It’s not going to encourage others to start a business,” Rowe said.
They also questioned the proposed amount, which was far more than other tolls already in place.
For the Northern Gateway, north of Auckland, light vehicles pay $2.60 while heavy vehicles pay $5.20.
The Tauranga Eastern Link road tolls light vehicles at $2.30 and heavy vehicles at $5.60.
At Takitimu, it is $2.10 for light vehicles and $5.40 for heavy vehicles.
They felt their questions were not unreasonable, with some of their queries around tolls for those with children with special needs who needed to use school shuttles to access services that were not available in the Tararua District.
"It stinks," says Martin Lean, who was one of more than 100 people who marched to protest the toll proposal.
Another resident, Martin Lean said it “stinks”.
He said the highway had already been paid for with road user charges.
“They want us to pay again.”
Leanne Warr has been editor of the Bush Telegraph since May 2023 and a journalist since 1996. She re-joined NZME in June 2021.
