Takitimu North Link project plans to free up congestion on SH2 between Tauranga and Te Puna. Photo / NZME
Takitimu North Link project plans to free up congestion on SH2 between Tauranga and Te Puna. Photo / NZME
The mayor of the Western Bay says he will fight to keep construction of the Takitimu North Link on track after it was included in a list of roading projects that could be delayed due to budget overruns.
It comes after it was revealed Transport Minister Michael Wood has left the door open to delaying the delivery of some of New Zealand’s most high-profile roading projects.
The Government is “rescoping” projects in the $8.7 billion NZ Upgrade programme, which includes 19 high-profile transport projects. These were announced in 2020 but massive cost blowouts saw several of them axed in 2021 despite a $1.9b cash injection.
This included a proposed second stage of the Takitimu North Link. An appeal to the Ombudsman has since revealed many of the projects such as the Takitimu North Link face “red” ratings for their potential to go over budget.
Wood said there would be no cuts to the programme this time, but has not taken back some trimming of the projects and rephasing to deal with cost inflation.
“The Government is committed to delivering the significant transport projects that are funded through NZUP,” Wood said.
“There will be no cuts or significant paring back, but as is always the case there will be work to find efficiencies as projects go through detailed design and implementation.”
Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer said he was seeking greater clarity about the potential impact to the Takitimu North Link, which he would fight to keep going.
“This is a very important roading project that will be carried out and constructed on time. I would hope it is not pared back. It is critical to solve the congestion issues getting out of Tauranga.
“Frankly, we need it.”
Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer says Tauranga needs the Takitimu North Link.
Bethlehem resident John Hill said he would be very disappointed if this version of the first stage of Takitimu North Link was affected.
The first stage was expected to be a 6.8-kilometre four-laned expressway connecting Tauranga to Te Puna.
Hill said the road was an essential infrastructure asset desperately needed in the growing city.
“The route north to Ōmokoroa is congested daily, frequently during the course of the day. I hear complaints from people trying to get to events in the city during the day who take an hour to get from Ōmokoroa.
“It’s a very small road for a very large population.”
Waka Kotahi warned projects are likely to go over budget. Photo / Waka Kotahi
In June 2021, it was announced the Government would no longer fund the second stage, which was expected to extend 7km with four lanes between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa. However, there was to be “route protection” of this road.
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller has spent years fighting for both stages to go ahead. ”It is pure incompetence – had the Government let it stay out to tender in 2018, it would be largely built,” Muller said.
He said, in his view, the Government’s “excuses assault the intelligence of our community”.
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller. Photo / George Novak
An announcement was expected on the future of the programme in the weeks following the Budget. No decisions had been made on whether the projects would need an additional cash injection.
In February, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency chief executive Nicole Rosie confirmed to a select committee that some of the projects were being “rescoped”.
The report, already nearly a year old but released by the Ombudsman this year, gave each of the transport projects a health rating on a traffic light scale for their propensity to go over budget or over time.
Roads like Penlink, between the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and central Auckland, were given a green rating for all criteria, but the Takitimu North Link stage one was given a red rating for its likelihood to go over budget.
In 2021, up to 400 people were expected to be working on the Takitimu North Link stage one project.
Takitimu North Link is expected to offer an alternative route to State Highway 2, moving trucks away from local roads and significantly improving safety and accessibility.
