Bay of Plenty National Party candidate Tom Rutherford is launching a petition to support the completion of the Takitimu North Link stages one and two to Ōmokoroa.

The Takitimu North Link project is part of the New Zealand upgrade programme, which was announced in 2020.

This included $8.7 billion for new infrastructure in New Zealand's six main growth regions, including the Bay of Plenty.

Funding was confirmed to build stage one of the project in June 2021, which adds a new 6.8km four-lane road connecting State Highway 29 Takitimu Drive through to State Highway 2 west of Te Puna.

Stage two of the project aims to connect Te Puna and Ōmokoroa. Funding for the construction will be considered as part of a future National Land Transport Programme when funding becomes available.

Speaking to SunLive, Rutherford says the 'unacceptable” delays are caused by the Government scaling back the project after the 2020 election.

'Labour scaled back the project to only stage one and delayed stage two for at least a decade. This is not appropriate as it has created unnecessary delays for our local Bay of Plenty community, who want to spend less time in their vehicles and stuck in traffic, and more time actually doing the things they want to be doing.

'The impacts this delay has had on productivity and quality of life in the Bay of Plenty is concerning. I have had many residents in Te Puna and Ōmokoroa say to me that some days they spend up to 90 minutes in their vehicles travelling to Tauranga and that many of them are late to work and kids are late to school.

'This is not the transport options our community needs, and Labour has simply put the people of the Bay of Plenty at the bottom of the priority list. Under a National Government we will get the Bay of Plenty moving.”

A Minister of Transport David Parker spokesperson says Waka Kotahi is "progressing work" to protect the stage two route between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa. Photo: RNZ.

The project is not yet funded, however a spokesperson for Minister of Transport David Parker says Waka Kotahi is progressing work to protect the stage two route between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa.

'Resource Management Act consent applications are scheduled to be lodged with Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council in late 2023.

'This will give Council, landowners and the community certainty of the route and ensure Waka Kotahi is best placed to move forward when funding for construction becomes available.

'During March and April 2023, additional geotechnical testing has been carried out to confirm the suitability of soils in locations where additional bridge structures and stormwater treatment devices will be located.

'Further ecological, site contamination and engineering investigations are also being carried out, to support the assessment of environmental effects reporting for the Notice of Requirement and resource consents.

'Waka Kotahi met with affected landowners in April 2023 and will carry out wider public engagement in July 2023.”

Rutherford says if National is elected, stage two of the project will 'get underway” during their first term.

'This project was approved, funded and ready to go in 2017 thanks to National, but instead of getting on with it, Labour put the people of the Bay of Plenty through the wringer by cancelling, restarting, delaying, and pairing back the project.”

Despite the delays, a spokesperson for Minister of Transport David Parker says the roading project means the Western Bay of Plenty community can look forward to 'significantly improved” safety and 'accessibility, resilience, and more transport choice for moving around the region”.

'It will provide an alternative route to SH2, moving trucks away from local roads and supporting urban growth.”

So far, Rutherford's petition has received about 150 signatures, and he is continuing to ask people to sign to 'send Labour a clear message” to invest in 'real improvements in our roads to save lives”.