The AA has criticised State Highway 1, describing it as a poor representation of the country’s road network, which is plagued with potholes and surface issues.
Taupō Mayor David Trewavas expressed concerns about the state of SH1 in his district, highlighting its inadequacy for a popular holiday destination and referring to a section between Maroa and Tokoroa as a ‘laughing stock’ due to its numerous potholes. There were a number of ‘pinch points’ between Taupō and Tūrangi, he told legacy media outlet RNZ.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst told RNZ of the dire condition of SH5 between Napier and Taupō, even after recent maintenance. She considered the large number of potholes posed a danger to the public.
Foreign tourist Pierre Le Coq who has been road-tripping in a campervan, also reported disappointment with the state of the highways, describing them as ‘horrendous’ and ‘a road of patches’.
NZTA said they are working on over 2500km of road as part of a summer maintenance programme, costing the taxpayer about $500 million. This includes significant renewal work on parts of SH1 and other safety improvement projects.
Areas affected by cyclones in 2023, including Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Coromandel, and Northland, are expected to see the most roadworks. Wayne Oldfield, NZTA’s senior manager for maintenance and operations, acknowledged the challenges posed by weather and demand over the past few years and the need to renew and improve the network.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the government’s focus was on road maintenance and improvement, including pothole repairs and the reallocation of funds from ‘low-value’ projects to road maintenance. The ‘Roads of National Significance’ programme, which was canceled by the previous Labour government, will also be revived, highlighting the new government’s commitment to not only maintaining but also building new highways.
The AA called for more substantial investment in state highways, noting that while recent funding boosts are positive, they are insufficient for long-term improvements.
Potholes will make riding a motorbike even more hazardous, maybe the Govt will decide to put up the cost of Rego to offset the increase in accidents and ACC claims, its only fair,,,,
Just as well we have got top quality bitumen asphalt since the refinery was sabotaged with closure
All part of an agenda to disrupt supply chains
And to make NZ susceptible and vulnerable
What could possibly and will go wrong?
Yes any war between China and Tiaiwan could seriously interupt oil supplies for quite some time.The former Labour boofhead Govt. have got a lot to answer for just NWO lakeys that bowed down (bribed) by push from the US because they dont want to lose the ;’petro dollar’, The formation of the Brics countrys alliance has seen greater volumes of oil being traded in other currencies. the US want the world to buy oil from their platform. The closure of Marsden Point was a crime against NZ by those that dont care. NZ crude was of high quality. It was owned by the people of NZ not to be sold off to some private group. Treasonous indeed. Try patching up those potholes with third grade bitumen from Venezuela and see how you go you will be back to horse and cart tracks before you know it sort of like what is happening now..
Too right!
And where are the prosecutions for these traiterous crimes against New Zealand?
Just following orders
Comrade
Winnie might reopen the refinery
After the covid inquiry
Don’t hold Your breath
Without heads rolling, Winnie won’t survive.
One stretch of road in my area has been fully repaired 3 times in the last year and it is no better now than when they started. Chip seal lasts 5 minutes with trucks, and now with our sabotaged bitumen stocks it’s even worse. Consultants and traffic management will suck the blood out of $500 million leaving sod all left for actual repairs. Where is the accountability , I don’t see any.