Northland Corporate Group co-chair Andrew McLeod said the lack of a robust transport corridor between Northland and Auckland is a "massive handbrake" on realising the region’s true potential.
Northland business heavyweights have rallied together to advocate for urgent investment into critical road infrastructure to connect the burgeoning region with the rest of the North Island.
Northland Corporate Group [NCG] co-chair Andrew McLeod said the group came together several months ago “to make the case for an effective corridor between Whangārei and Auckland, and in time further north”.
“We’re trying to make the case that Northland is a key region now, if we have an effective road corridor it’ll unlock growth.
“It’s not about complaining about the roads, it’s about saying ‘what would it take for Northland to step up and support Auckland?’”
The group is made up of Channel Infrastructure NZ, Culham Engineering, Marsden Maritime Holdings, McKay Limited, and Northpower.
Together, they have a combined annual turnover exceeding $1 billion, employ more than 3500 people and deliver essential services to 65 per cent of the region’s population.
McLeod, also chief executive of Northpower, said Northland’s poor roading infrastructure was an “economic barricade” in a growing region.
“During the past 20 years, Northland’s population growth has been 30 per cent higher than the rest of the country.
“Northland has stepped up its economic contribution, but the lack of a robust transport corridor between Northland and Auckland is a massive handbrake on realising the region’s true potential.
“The Winterless North feels very much like the isolated north, and we want to make the case to fix that.”
McLeod’s comments come after a summer of road closures caused by storm damage earlier this year including the vital connection over the Brynderwyn Hills.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency recently confirmed SH1 through the Brynderwyns will likely be fully closed for another two months next Waitangi to Easter for more roadworks to bring the highway back up to scratch.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said if the Brynderwyns had to close “at an appropriate time”, to future-proof the road, then he was on board.
“I will stand back in the short term for long-term gain until we have an expressway that bypasses the Brynderwyns,” Tepania said.
“Sometimes you have to do that.
“If we have a two-month closure to make sure it doesn’t close for the first winter storm we hit, that makes sense.”
But Tepania said transparency was needed from Waka Kotahi so communities and sectors “who are going to be incredibly affected by the closure” could understand what was planned.
Tepania reiterated the need for alternate routes to be up to standard, and there should be discussions with Air New Zealand to get extra flights up north, he said.
“We need to find out what other things we can do to cushion the blow for people of the north during the closure.
“We need people to know Northland is open.
“This continually highlights the dire straits the region faces day to day in terms of being connected to the rest county.”
National Road Carriers Association chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers said the Brynderwyns closure would be “a devastating blow” for transport operators serving Northland.
There was “enormous frustration” amongst transport operators who had been calling for a bypass for decades, Tighe-Umbers said.
“Many transport operators and businesses are hanging by a thread and a two-month closure of the main arterial at the second-busiest time of year would push some to collapse unless they receive Government support.
“If it goes ahead, it would be yet another serious hit after a triple whammy of pandemic, cyclone and economic slowdown.
“We are now seeing a real-world example of the pain and harm caused by under-investing in our infrastructure - real people end up paying the price in jobs, livelihoods and mental health.”
The $880m Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway was opened to traffic in June after taking seven years to complete. The new stretch of motorway shaves off 30 minutes for motorists travelling between Northland and Auckland.
The following month, the National Party announced that, if elected, several four-lane highways from Whangārei to Tauranga would be built at a cost of $6b.
The projects included Whangārei to Port Marsden, costing $1.3b and starting in the next one to three years, and Warkworth to Wellsford, costing $2.2b and starting in the next four to 10 years.
Northland MP Grant McCallum said National was “committed” to the projects.
The Brynderwyns was also “a number one issue up here”, McCallum said.
“We’re focused on finding alternative routes around the Brynderwyns as a matter of urgency and that’s what we’ve committed to.
“We’ve got to work out what the route is before we can progress building it.
“As we can see from the work Waka Kotahi wants to do to make it resilient, it’s not a long-term option.”
McLeod called on all businesses to complete NCG’s survey, which will support a case for investment.
The survey has been distributed to the wider Northland business community to better understand the impact of infrastructure on Northland businesses, and to understand the economic benefits of extending the motorway on SH1 north of Auckland to Whangārei and Kaikohe.
The survey closes on November 22, and the NCG will present its business case, with the results, to key stakeholders and MPs in early 2024.
Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/537TJSY to take the survey.
Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering health, food, lifestyle, business, roading, and animal welfare issues.