Confusion over Takitimu North Link progress

A 145m construction bridge built over the Wairoa Awa (river) in 2022.

National Party spokesperson for Transport Simeon Brown says the Takitimu North Link stage two has been cancelled. The problem is, it hasn't.

The Takitimu North Link aims to connect Tauranga and Te Puna with a new four-lane expressway and shared path. Stage two of the project aims to connect Te Puna to Ōmokoroa.

The new stretch of road is part of the ongoing New Zealand Upgrade Programme announced by the Government in 2020.

Despite the project still going ahead, Brown says the Labour track record of delivering major roading upgrades is 'appalling”.

'They cancelled the entire Roads of National Significance Programme when they were first elected,” says Brown.

'Labour then promised the NZ Upgrade Programme after significant pressure from the National Party.

'While it was initially billed as a transformative infrastructure upgrade, Labour has since cancelled several key projects such as Mill Road in Auckland, Stage 2 of the Takitimu Northern Link near Tauranga and the Whangarei to Port Marsden Highway.”

While Mill Road in Auckland and Port Marsden have been cancelled, both Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Minister of Transport Michael Wood say stage two of the Takitimu Northern Link has not been cancelled.

National Party spokesperson for Transport Simeon Brown and Minister of Transport Michael Wood. Photos: Angus Dreaver/RNZ.

'The Takitimu North Link Stage Two Project (funded through NZUP) has not been cancelled,” says Wood.

'Waka Kotahi is progressing to protect the route for Stage Two of the project between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa. Geotechnical testing has been undertaken, and ecological and engineering investigations are ongoing.

'Waka Kotahi will start stakeholder engagement next month, which will provide the opportunity to see the draft alignment and intersection forms.”

Waka Kotahi Waikato/Bay of Plenty system design regional manager Jess Andrew says work is continuing on route protection for stage two of the Takitimu North Link project between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa.

'The Resource Management Act 1991 applications are scheduled to be lodged with Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council in the second half of 2023.

'We've completed geotechnical testing and our ecological and engineering investigations are ongoing. We have been engaging with partners and key stakeholders for some time on this project, the next phase is wider stakeholder and public/community engagement.”

4 comments

STOP The BS!

Posted on 17-05-2023 07:52 | By Wigan

It is long past time these idiots in Wellington stopped their politicising and just got this problem fixed. I now start my journey to work earlier to avoid the hold ups... except today was half an hour from TePuna to Bethlehem at 6.30 AM!!! It's a funny old form of democracy when the majority get to suffer this each day and Cyril on his cycle is the ONE who gets keep making it worse as each day goes by


It is

Posted on 17-05-2023 09:24 | By Merlin

It is certainly Election year and we do not need misinformation coming from any of our politicians of any party just to get votes.


Cyril & Karen

Posted on 17-05-2023 12:57 | By dave4u

Toll the cycle lanes, that will stop the Cyril's & Karen's immediately, costing the motoring public mega bucks in fuel and carbon Tyre print.


@Wigan

Posted on 18-05-2023 10:54 | By morepork

Sorry to see you expect democracy when it has been systematically destroyed by the Labour Government. They want Tikanga (19th century Tribal tradition, where you do what the Boss (Chief) says, and the Boss and his cadre formulate policy without input from the rest of the tribe. (Have a look at the way our unelected Commissioners currently work... They decide what they want to do, then have public discussion on it for the sake of show, then ignore everything the public raised and go ahead and do what they decided in the first place.) There can be no dissent, or undoing of these projects. Cyril and Karen are just as voiceless as you are. There needs to be facility for cycling but you have a government intent on removing cars and therefore raising cycling to a priority that is unfair and stifling for other commuters. Change it by voting.


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