No plans to toll Mt Messenger bypass, PM says

Saturday, 5 October 2024

The Government has no plans to tell the transport agency to introduce tolls when the Mt Messenger bypass project,

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed during his visit to Taranaki this week that the 6km bypass, which was scheduled to be completed in 2027, would be a free access route along State Highway 3.

“There won’t be any tolls because essentially the current road will be deactivated, and as a result there won’t be an alternative route,” he said.

Speculation about a potential toll on the northern route out of Taranaki had been growing after NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi asked for public feedback on plans to charge vehicles using Te Ahu a Turanga, the new Manawatū Tararua Highway due to open in 2025.

Consultation on the proposal included tolls of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy ones.

The proposal also included tolls for the region’s other new highway, from Ōtaki to north of Levin, at a cheaper rate of $2.70 for light vehicles and $5.40 for heavier traffic.

Despite the increase in potential tolls across the country for major new projects, Luxon reiterated that would not be the case on Mt Messenger.

“My understanding, as a result of speaking with the minister of transport, is no, there won’t be any tolls there,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, an updated budget for the Mt Messenger project has not been released, despite a transport agency spokesperson saying in November that a new “cost” would be set early this year.

It has been more than three years since the Crown agency released the $280 million cost estimate.

In 2016, when the project was first announced, the budget was $90m. By 2020, the estimate had increased to $200m.

Mt Messenger project manager Caleb Perry said a new cost budget would not be released until later this year because of delays caused by legal action.