Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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5% Second half of November
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44.6% 1st December
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16.7% A week before Christmas
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32.5% Whenever you wish
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1.3% Other - I'll share below
Viewing platform proposed for Canterbury estuary
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A proposed viewing platform for the Ashley Rakahuri River estuary is ‘‘a wonderful gift’’, says a local community leader.
The Woodend-Sefton Community Board has recommended the Waimakariri District Council accept the offer from the Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group to build a viewing platform overlooking the estuary.
‘‘It is a wonderful gift. It is absolutely amazing and it is the perfect location,’’ board chairperson Shona Powell said.
‘‘I can see everyone enjoying it, from bird watchers, photographers, locals and visitors.
‘‘The estuary is a really precious place and the more people we can get along there to look at it and enjoy it and learn about the world-renowned bird life the better.’’
The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group received a $20,000 bequest from the Annie Currie Legacy Fund and wishes to use the funds to build a viewing platform in the estuary.
Group spokesperson Nick Ledgard said the bequest was a welcomed surprise.
He said the bequest came with a stipulation for the money to be used for a tangible asset associated with volunteers.
‘‘We put before our group the idea of building a viewing platform and it was agreed.’’
The rivercare group has worked with council staff on a design for the viewing platform and will provide volunteer labour to build and install it.
The viewing platform has a simple design and will be wheelchair accessible, Ledgard said.
Once complete the group plans to gift the viewing platform to the community.
If approved at the next council meeting, the council will cover the costs of the consent, the upgrade of an access path and ongoing maintenance costs.
Ledgard said he hoped the project would be completed by the end of this summer.
It would be erected on the south side of the Ashley Rakahuri River, about 10 metres from the estuary car park at Waikuku Beach.
The estuary is recognised by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as a wetland of international significance and is a breeding ground for a number of threatened and critically endangered bird species.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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