Northland rural roads are being left to fall apart because the Government will not provide subsidy funding says the New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters.
“Road funding has dropped seriously in real terms since 2009 and in the last six years rural roading support money has gone to Roads of National Significance (RONS),” says Peters.
Peters quoted statements by Kaipara commissioner John Robertson in the latest issue of the Mangawhai Focus (March 21, 2016).
In the article Robertson says Council receives requests from time to time to seal metal roads.
“We rarely do so. Roads cost a lot to seal – around $500,000 per kilometre. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) used to provide a subsidy to assist with such work. They no longer do,” says Robert
“What is fascinating about Mr Robertson’s statement is he did not say why the NZTA stopped funding rural roads and when,” says Peters.
“He knows full well that rural roads subsidies ended in 2009 under the new National government,” according to Peters.
Peters says while the government had pushed the money into RONS, not a cent had been spent on the promised Puhoi to Warkworth highway.
“Also, in that article Mr Robertson said he and the other commissioners were considering a policy whereby a property owner or property owners who want a road part-sealed would have to pay for it at a cost of $500,000 plus GST per kilometre.Who will be able to afford that?” asked Peters
“Robertson says the council would organise the sealing and once sealed it was proposed council would maintain the road,” says Peters.
“The fact is the Government should be providing rural roads subsidies and Mr Robertson knows that,” says Peters.
