Letters: Action needed on Bay of Plenty's State Highway 2

Protesters angry at Government inaction over State Highway 2 blocked the Wairoa Bridge earlier this year.Photo/ George Novak.

The front page of Friday's paper was headlined, 'Deadly-road petition goes to Parliament', and it was suggested in Parliament that it is a stunt.

Well, of course, it is not. How else can we bring before the Government the congestion on State Highway 2 is only going to get worse, and we are at gridlock stage already.

The four-laning of the Northern Link, the Omokoroa intersection and even the Katikati bypass will enable a variety of transport modes to use the route

The Northern Link should have been started months ago.

The Transport and Housing Minister should be pleased that our growth in housing, affordable housing and special housing is under way and the Government, which is responsible for state highways, must provide the infrastructure.

So instead of cutting the NZ Transport Agency's budget when the Government is pleased with its surplus, funding this work should be a priority. I hope the Government is listening.

We are part of the golden triangle - Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga - and we are a growth area and will remain so and time is not on our side. Action, please.

Margaret Murray-Benge
Bethlehem

Too used to delays

On Thursday morning at 9am, I was going to the Waikato via Paeroa; it took less time to go that way than to go over the Kaimais, because of the accident at Te Puna, my husband at 7.35am left Omokoroa to go into Tauranga, 1-1/2 hours later he arrived in Bethlehem.

I feel sorry for the students I saw in cars – they were probably sitting NCEA exams – in the 5km stretch of road from Omokoroa towards Katikati that had cars bumper to bumper and not moving.

What about all the trucks, courier drivers, people with appointments that were very late, but I guess we are so used to delays now on SH2.

All our appeals, fall on very deaf ears, think of the time wasted.

Wendy Galloway
Omokoroa