Ashhurst ‘sold a lie’ about new highway

Thursday, 3 October 2024

Ashhurst residents meet to discuss the new road toll on the Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway.

Ashhurst residents believed they would get their quiet suburban streets back once a new state highway opened, but those hopes could be dashed if a proposed toll is introduced.

Another community affected by a potential toll on the Te Ahu a Turanga highway, between Woodville and Ashhurst, held a public meeting to voice their opposition to the toll.

More than 200 people gathered at the Village Valley Centre in Ashhurst on Wednesday night upset at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s proposal to charge $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles when the road opens next year.

Since the Manawatū Gorge road closed seven years ago, people have used the Saddle Rd or Pahīatua Track, which are windy and prone to crashes. NZTA considered them safe and free alternative routes.

A bone of contention in Ashhurst was motorists had to drive through the village to get to the Saddle Rd, transforming what was once quiet street into a state highway. If people avoided the tolled highway, the Saddle Rd would likely remain busy.

Community member Phil Stevens said the gorge had 7500 vehicle trips a day before its closure and Ashhurst was “quiet and safe community” as only “150 brave souls” would use the Saddle Rd.

“Then it all changed in 2017 when the traffic diverted. There are now roughly 6200 movements a day through residential streets, queues, rat running, dangerous overtaking, general noise and pollution.”

He said the community was told the disruption would be temporary until the replacement road was built.

Ashhurst resident and event organiser Phil Stevens speaks at a public meeting opposing the potential tolling of the Te Ahu a Turanga highway.

“We’ve been hearing justifications at the last minute about why it’s necessary. [Transport Minister] Simeon Brown said it’s an upgrade.

“Of course it is, look at the old one, it’s buried under thousands of tonnes of rock.”

Ashhurst School principal Heath Chittenden said the extra traffic using Salisbury St had made a significant difference to the school and there had been a dozen instances of children almost being hit by cars on the pedestrian crossing.

It had made it harder to attract teachers to the school because of travel costs.

Ashhurst School principal Heath Chittenden says the closure of the Manawatū Gorge has affected the school.

Horizons Regional Council chairwoman Rachel Keedwell also opposed the toll.

“It’s wrong to put a toll on a replacement road that doesn’t have a safe or resilient replacement, there’s a reason the Saddle has a 60km limit.

“It’s wrong to put a toll between a community [Tararua] and its hospital.

“It’s also wrong to betray iwi and the community who worked so hard in making this road the success it’s going to be by at the last minute changing the conditions.”

Horizons Regional Council chairperson Rachel Keedwell says putting a toll on the new road is wrong.

She said the NZTA numbers for the new road’s use didn’t meet the tolling threshold of 10,000 cars a day.

“By NZTA’s own estimates 27% of people will choose not to use it and will use the other routes.

“That means fewer than 7000 movements on Te Ahu a Turanga, which is a long way from 10,000.”

Tararua mayor Tracey Collis said since the gorge’s closure they had all endured hardship as Ashhurst residents “lost your peaceful village and we lost our connection”.

More than 200 people attended the meeting at the Village Valley Centre.

“Ashhurst been sold a lie. The peace and tranquillity you were promised will never return with a toll.”

Transport Minister Simeon Brown was unable to attend the meeting due to prior commitments but said Wairarapa MP Mike Butterick had been keeping him briefed on the community views.

Brown said in a statement tolling was being considered because the project costs blew out by $200m under the previous Labour Government to $824m.

This was due to factors including inflation, supply chain issues and the late addition of a shared user path.

Rangitāne kaumatua Wiremu Te Awe Awe says the iwi stands against the tolling of the road.

He encouraged people to have their say during the consultation period, which ended on Monday.

At the meeting Palmerston North MP and Labour’s transport spokesman Tangi Utikere the blowout was news to him.

Utikere said the shared pathway was a condition of the road’s consent “not something that is Johnny come lately” and many projects had faced increased costs due to inflation and Covid-19.

“This is nothing short of a revenue-grubbing exercise for Simeon Brown because his transport plan has a $6 billion hole.

Event emcee Arthur Yeo speaks to the crowd.

“Folks in this community should not have to foot this bill.”

NZTA director of regional relationships Linda Stewart fielded questions from upset residents.

She said NZTA was required by the Government to assess tolling on all new roads and this road met the requirements.

The final decision lay with Cabinet based on Brown’s recommendations, she said.

There is a “hikoi for our highway” at 12pm on Saturday where people will protest the toll by marching from Fountaine Square in Woodville to the construction site and back.