Major road projects take precedence in the Horizons land transport plan

Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall said he had done a bit of “table hype” for improved public transportation for Whanganui and said the district’s time would come.

McDouall said work on State Highway 4 across
the Parapara had to be a priority for transport.

The Horizons regional transportation committee, on which McDouall sits, approved its long-term plan for ground transportation after reviewing public submissions.

The Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) is updated every six years by a committee that includes all the mayors of the Horizons region.

The plan is mentioned by the transport agency Waka Kotahi NZ to decide which projects will be funded.

“Some of the damage caused by the 2015 floods has still not been fully repaired and large areas of [SH4] slid down the cliff. This is our main access to the north, so it is very important for Whanganui, ”McDouall said.

Regarding public transport, McDouall said “it seems we are sometimes poor cousins ​​in this area and although we have recently been praised for our public transport service it would be great to expand it.”

Some public stakeholders expressed concern that the opportunities associated with better use of rail and public transport in the region were not sufficiently articulated in the plan and some changes were made to the wording of the project to incorporate these points. of view.

“I’m sure our turn will come and it really helps to have strong public transport advocates like Anthonie Tonnon here to make the case heard as well,” McDouall said.

He said that although the plan may not appear to offer much for Whanganui’s transportation, there were a number of advantages for the district.

“Of course, it is disappointing that the Dublin St Bridge is not a priority, but Waka Kotahi has little funding to allocate to the region and there are more urgent projects,” he said.

The new Te Ahu a Turanga highway project – the construction of the new section of road between Woodville and Ashhurst – is also a priority in the plan.

A major slide in April 2017 left SH3 through the Manawatū Gorge impassable and work began on the replacement road in January of this year. It is expected to be completed by 2024.

“We have to be good neighbors in our region and support it,” McDouall said.

“It will also benefit us – we need to think regionally and do our best for our own district.”

Whanganui District Council has allocated $ 310,000 in the first three years of its long-term plan to initiate discussions and begin planning for the Dublin St. Bridge upgrade process.

“This will allow us to present a good case to Waka Kotahi for funding,” McDouall said.

Ruapehu mayor Don Cameron said the lack of public transportation was also a challenge for his district.

“We would like to have a service between Raetihi and Ohakune,” he said.

“It is only 11 km but it is a long way for the people who live in Raetihi and do not have a car.

“There is no pharmacy in Raetihi, so residents must travel to Ohakune for their prescriptions.”

Cameron said that although there were shuttle services available, they did not adequately meet the needs of communities in the district.

Cameron was happy that the region’s bike paths were well used and looked forward to the development of the bike path between Mount Ruapehu and Whanganui, which received a $ 4.6 million boost from the Provincial Growth Fund on last year.

It is expected to create more than 100 jobs in the region and will also fund some improvements to existing cycle paths.

“We have also had encouraging conversations with KiwiRail on new possibilities for passenger service,” Cameron said.

Rangitīkei is expected to have the new Marton Rail Hub as a key logistics center for the forestry industry in the Lower North Island.

The project is supported by a government investment of $ 9.1 million administered by the Provincial Development Unit (PDU).

The proposed hub site underwent a district plan change in 2020 to rezone land from rural to industrial and the council worked through an appeal process with the Environmental and Environmental Court. other parts.

The RLTP will appear before a full Horizons Regional Council on June 22.