There is some confusion over what road is Northland's most dangerous, with the office for the Transport Minister naming two suburban Whangārei streets as having the highest deaths and serious injuries over the last five years.
In a statement announcing the government had increased funding for Northland's transport infrastructure from Minister Phil Twyford's office on Thursday, George St in Hikurangi was named as the "road in Northland with the highest deaths and serious injuries over the last five years".
A spokeswoman from the Minister's office yesterday confirmed naming George St had been a mistake in the press release and instead the most dangerous road in Northland, according to the information received from NZ Transport Agency, was Corks Rd.
But Corks Rd is a residential street in Tikipunga, Whangārei, with a speed limit of 50km/h.
When visited yesterday residents on Corks Rd were quick to point out speeding was an issue but questioned it being called Northland's most dangerous road.
"We've been here five years and seen one serious crash and no fatalities," Ian Young said.
"I wonder how the Minister is being informed?"
Another resident, Cam, said Corks Rd was a major thoroughfare and had the potential to be dangerous with a school on the street and lots of children living in the area. However, he had only heard of one serious crash in the three years he had lived there and had heard of no fatal crashes.
"I would have thought out on the highway would be more dangerous and where money could be spent."
Northland Road Transport Committee chairman John Bain doubted Corks Rd was the most dangerous road in the region.
"It's not exactly a state highway with millions of cars going over it ... it's a fairly safe suburban street.
"If the Minister wants the statistics I can give him a map of all the serious crashes on State Highway 1 from Whangārei to Te Hana which shows a very grim picture. It seems the Minister and the minister's staff are making decisions without ever being here."
Statistics previously obtained by Bain showed over 10 years from 2006 to 2015 on SH1 between Toetoe Rd, south of Whangārei, to the SH15A roundabout at Ruakākā there were 18 crashes, which led to 17 deaths. There were also 24 serious crashes leaving 35 people seriously injured and during the same period there have been 51 minor injury crashes, injuring 141 people.
The numbers do not include fatalities from 2016, 2017, or this year, with the road toll already at 23.
The NZ Transport Agency would not comment and would not answer questions by the Northern Advocate about Corks Rd or information about what were Northland's most dangerous roads.
On Thursday Twyford announced the government was committed to fixing the widening infrastructure deficit in the regions.
"Over the last nine years of National (government) infrastructure investment in Northland was cut by $162m. Northland received 14.4 per cent less transport infrastructure funding in 2016/17 than they did in 2009/10."
He said essential safety improvements to dangerous roads had been marginalised to pay for expressways in other major cities.
"The new Government Policy Statement on land transport means more money will be available for essential transport infrastructure and local roads in Northland. The Government will complete the expressway projects begun under the previous Government which are currently under contract, and allow for future state highway upgrades."
The NZ Transport Agency's decision to increase the funding assistance rate for strategically important transport projects would mean more projects in Northland's transport plan would get off the ground and central Government would pay a greater share of their cost.
"For example, certain high and very high priority projects led by Northland Regional Council will now be 77 per cent funded by the NZ Transport Agency – an increase from 54 per cent."