Northland mayors want four lane state highway south of Whangarei

The Government has gone cold on four laning State HIghway 1 south of Whangarei, above, but Northland leaders want it done. Photo / File

With the Labour-led Government going cold on the idea of a four lane highway between Whangarei and Warkworth, Northland leaders are pushing for it.

All four Northland council leaders have presented a joint statement saying there is still plenty of merit in the proposed bigger highway between Northland and Warkworth.

They said they would rather the Government spend more on that vital main link than on regional roads, but they'd like regional roads to be better funded too.

Signs emerged the newly-elected Government was less enthusiastic than its predecessor about the Warkworth-Whangarei motorway when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern suggested that neglected regional roads would be better candidates for funding.

Ms Ardern said Associate Transport Minister Julie-Anne Genter would meet with local mayors to discuss which regional roads would be prioritised.

The previous National-led Government diverted money for regional roads on to the Roads of National Significance project, to upgrade and widen state highways.

The projected cost of the entire four-laning between Warkworth and Whangarei was just shy of $2 billion.

The approved stretch of 22km of highway south of Whangarei to the Ruakaka roundabout, which could have been completed within five years, would be $400 million-plus.

In the united Northland media statement, Far North mayor John Carter said the region ''absolutely'' needed more money for rural roads, and in particular its unsealed roads, but this should be in addition to – rather than at the expense of – its main economic route.

"The reality is this route is our region's most vital transport link to Auckland, and the rest of New Zealand," Mr Carter said.

Whangarei mayor Sheryl Mai said the rationale for utilising Marsden Pt-based Northport as part of the solution to Ports of Auckland's universally-accepted capacity issues should also be actively pursued.

''This would also meet future export and import requirements for the Upper North Island as the Northland and wider economy continues to grow," she said.

The sentiment was echoed by Kaipara's acting mayor Peter Wethey.

"Given the growth in horticulture in the Far North, the development of key access route to markets is critical.''

He said delays in progressing the highway improvements would be counterproductive to the region's economic development.

Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd said the four-laning's advantages were also for tourism and associated employment opportunities.

Regional Transport Committee chairman John Bain said Northland did need more money for rural roads, and in particular the unsealed roads. However, he wants the Government to also continue with the four-lane highway for Northland's economic benefit.

"We're really happy for that to happen but not at the cost of our main economic route."