Four lanes trigger our economy

The four lanes from Whangarei to Auckland have been on the books as being the biggest economic driver for Northland from before National announced they would build them in 2017.

DR SHANE RETI

Every Northland mayor agreed then that it was vital to our ongoing growth, and it remains so. The section from Whangarei to Marsden has the dubious history of being one of the worst police hot spots for accidents, with a low road safety rating. Road safety and competitiveness for our local goods are key factors for our access to the economic powerhouse that is Auckland and beyond.

Recently National has announced transport infrastructure that will build four lanes all the way from Whangarei to Matamata and then across to Tauranga. This will be a massive infrastructure build. It would bring Northland into what is currently termed the“golden triangle”for freight between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

Building the four lanes to Auckland was always important, but this is even more so now in a coronavirus environment. The economic impact of coronavirus on Northland is already severe and will last for many years. Now is the time to be investing in local infrastructure projects that will create jobs and stimulate the

Northland economy.

There are many good infrastructure projects that can be started in Northland and the four lanes is one of them. The case for the four lanes was strong before coronavirus - it now has even more urgency. We need to start the building now.

Four lanes are part of what is required for an integrated freight program in Northland. It also includes rail, air, and sea movements. Northland products need to be competitive to the marketplace and arrive on time. We cannot afford breakdowns on a single lane across the Brynderwyns to hold up freight causing traffic to drive through our rural areas and across one lane bridges.

National has a track record of building infrastructure such as the Waterview tunnel; and National will build the four lanes from Whangarei which will trigger our economy.

Labour “Holiday highway” NZ First “We just cannot guarantee pipe dreams, like a four-lane highway to Whangarei”

Greens “investing a similar sum in more, targeted road safety improvements” National “We will build the four lanes from Whangarei”