$323m spent on planning for RoNS now put in slow lane
Thursday, 16 July 2026
The Government has spent at least $323 million planning Roads of National Significance (RoNS) which have now been pushed into the slow lane.
Last week Transport Minister Chris Bishop released the major transport project pipeline (MTPP) outlining when the Government expects to invest in roading projects nationwide, including the RoNS.
These RoNS projects were promised by National in the 2023 election, with work starting on them in 2024 originally under former Transport Minister Simeon Brown.
Under the MTPP projects are grouped into three categories: phase one (under construction), phase two (preparing for construction and route protection), and phase three where work will “continue more slowly”.
Read more:
Roads of National Significance backdown - just six have guaranteed construction dates
Melling interchange and RMA reform hit Treasury’s amber/red risk threshold
NZ’s Poulter Family Wines completes acquisition of Constellation Brands assets
None of the projects in the latter two categories have full funding or firm construction plans for the next decade. The MTPP says they will 'progress to pre-implementation/implementation' between 2027-2037 with any advancement “subject to funding availability'.
The Post can reveal the Government has spent $323.8m on pre-implementation work for six of the projects in the second and third phases of the funding plan as of April.
This information came to light in an answer to a written parliamentary question from Labour to Bishop.
Those projects were sections two and three of the Northland Expressway, East West Link, Hamilton Southern Links, Petone to Grenada and the Cross Valley Link, State Highway 1 Wellington Improvements and the Hope Bypass.
That work included consenting, design, route protection, site investigations, and some early works.
Bishop told The Post “money spent on pre-implementation is not a waste, it is an investment in the future”.
In October the NZTA board approved more than $675m for the work, with a written parliamentary answer confirming that $323.8m of that had been spent.
Labour Party transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere told The Post that Bishop had cancelled most of the roading projects National promised in the 2023 election campaign.
“National knew they couldn’t afford these projects and insisted they would go ahead anyway, spending at least $323.8m in the process on paperwork.
“Some of this will be necessary, but had they made realistic promises the taxpayer wouldn't have needed to foot a wasteful bill in the hundreds of millions.”
Utikere said the transport minister must be “tired of mopping up Simeon Brown's mess when it comes to transport”.
Bishop: Roads not cancelled, just phased
Bishop who inherited the RoNS programme when he became transport minister in January last year told The Post Utikere was wrong and the projects were not cancelled but progressing in a phased way.
“It is an unavoidable reality that before you can actually build a road you need to spend money on route protection (designations and consenting), design, property acquisition and early works.
Bishop said that failing to sequence and phase work properly in the past had led to stop‑start projects in the transport pipeline, which increased costs and caused disruption.
“This is precisely what the MTPP is seeking to change. As funding becomes available for construction; projects that are ready to be built can be progressed.”
An NZTA Waka Kotahi spokesperson told The Post the MTPP staged projects over time, ready to progress as funding became available, supported by a clear and practical delivery plan.
The spokesperson said the approach did not change the long term direction of the RoNS programme.
“The pre-implementation work which has been undertaken on these projects will keep us on track for delivery of these significant investments at the right time in the future, ensuring that they are well positioned to move forward as funding becomes available.”