Tararua stands united against road tolls at fiery public meeting

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Large turn-out to a public meeting in Woodville to discuss a proposed toll on the soon to be opened Te Ahu a Turanga, Manawatū Tararua Highway.

Hundreds of people — if not the entire population of Woodville — turned out for a public meeting in the small town to oppose plans to toll a state highway in their area.

Te Ahu a Turanga, the replacement road for the Manawatū Gorge, is set to open in May 2025, but at “last minute” proposal has been made by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to charge motorists.

It would bring tolls of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles travelling between Ashhurst and Woodville, and many residents said the additional costs would be a “cruel” burden to bear.

The meeting was organised by Positively Woodville and saw people turn out in scores from towns all across the district and beyond.

No one could get a seat, nor a park, and it was clear the proposal affected people from all walks of life.

The large crowd fills the Woodville Sports Stadium to capacity.

Children sat watching iPads in their Oodies while parents asked NZTA representative Linda Stewart how they were going to afford to take their kids to sports and other regular appointments in Palmerston North.

Tararua College presiding member Bexx Brown said they too had concerns as many of their students needed to travel for educational purposes.

Woodville also had a median income of $22,700, and with limited employment in the area people had no other option but to travel for work.

Tararua district mayor Tracey Collis is strongly opposed to the toll and says she does not want responsibility for the upkeep of the Saddle Rd or Pahīatua Track.

Rangitane representative Mavis Mullins said those most impacted by the proposal would be the most vulnerable people in their community.

She said iwi “had been at the table since the beginning“ working with Waka Kotahi on the planning and construction of Te Ahu a Turanga, and they viewed it as a vital asset.

But not once was a potential toll ever raised.

“Never was a toll ever there as possible … it doesn’t seem fair, and now to have this hoisted on us, it’s just unacceptable.

Owner Interface Manager at Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance Grant Kauri talks about progress on Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway between Ashhurst and Woodville.

“Tararua has high levels of deprivation — what is that toll going to do now?”

She “implored decision makers” to stop the proposal going ahead.

Another concern was from those travelling to Palmerston North Hospital for cancer treatment and regular ongoing appointments.

Warren Chambers said volunteer drivers made “six or seven” trips a day in the Dannevirke Health Shuttle, and if the proposal went ahead it would need to find no less than $30,000 a year to keep operating the “service that keeps us alive”.

Since the Gorge Rd closed seven years ago people had been reliant on the Saddle Rd or Pahiatua Track, and NZTA considered those alternative and safe free routes.

The crowd rejected that, and told Stewart the roads were never built for the amount of traffic they were taking.

There were ongoing closures due to slips, crashes and roadworks, and as ratepayers they did not want to be lumped with the cost of maintaining those routes.

The new highway taking shape between Woodville and Ashhurst.

Repairs would fall back to local councils once the roads lost highway status, but Tararua mayor Tracey Collis noted this was unaffordable and said: “They’d have to find a mayor that would take them back.”

This spurred a round of applause from the crowd.

Palmerston North MP and Labour’s transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said when looking at a replacement option for the Gorge not once was the suggestion of a toll raised.

“In fact, next year what will open is a piece of infrastructure, that is a replacement, that was funded within budget and delivered on time.

Kieran McAnulty says the transport budget’s $6b deficit should not be the responsibility of those living in the Tararua region.

“And, now at the 11th hour, the Government has signalled they intend to hit your back pocket for something you have already paid for — that is absolutely a kick in the guts … it is not right, it is outrageous and it simply should not happen.”

He said National MPs Mike Butterick and Suze Redmayne, who were present for the meeting, could tell the Transport Minister not to go ahead with the toll.

NZTA representative Linda Stewart fronting up to a frustrated crowd.

“They can get on the phone to Simeon Brown tonight … and he can contact Waka Kotahi and instruct them not to go any further.”

Kieran McAnulty, previously the Wairarapa MP and now a List MP, said the road was paid for with revenue from fuel taxes and road user charges.

Positively Woodville chairperson Vicki Tomlinson says they are available to help with submissions.

“The maintenance is an ongoing thing … and I understand there is concern about the budget.

“There is a $6b hole in the transport budget and they need to find money somewhere, but it shouldn’t bloody well come from you.”

Stewart told the crowd NZTA had received several requests from the public asking how it had come to the toll charges and it was looking at how this information could be released.

The agency expected about 11,000 vehicles to use Te Ahu a Turanga everyday, and any revenue was “ring-fenced” for the road it was gathered on.

She said over a period of 35 years, the predicated tolling revenue from Te Ahu a Turanga was estimated to be $193m.

She urged the large crowd to make submissions detailing their genuine concerns, and said they would be assessed by the NZTA board.

A recommendation would then be made to the Minister of Transport, but the final decision would lie with Cabinet.

Submissions were open until October 7 and could be made at nzta.govt.nz/teahuaturanga-tolling. Forms were also available at libraries across the district.