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National promises to move the Deep South, as part of a set of announced transportation projects in Otago and Southland.
Transportation spokesman Chris Bishop made the announcement in front of the historic Dunedin train station on Monday morning.
He rejected that the measure was about spending cash on disputable seats, like the newly formed Taieri electorate.
“We are funding projects that we think make sense for this region, and we are doing it all over the place, including incredibly safe domestic seats.”
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Bishop was flanked by his southern party hopefuls: Liam Kernaghan (Taieri), Penny Simmonds (Invercargill) and Dunedin MP Michael Woodhouse.
Mary-Jo Tohill
The Dunedin and Mosgiel route has around 30,000 vehicle movements a day.
The $ 140 million southern transportation package included safety improvements on State Highway 1 between Mosgiel and Balclutha, a heavy detour for Mosgiel and through lanes and safety improvements for the highway between Queenstown and Te Anau.
Bishop also announced a bridge improvement work program, particularly in Southland, that would provide “certainty” of funding for those communities.
Ross Giblin / Stuff
Chris Bishop was in Dunedin on Monday to present a new transportation package for Otago and Southland.
Under the plan, a nationally led government would direct the New Zealand Transportation Agency to work with the Southland District Council to improve those bridges, with funds shared between the two organizations.
“There are 850 bridges in Southland, and 171 need to be replaced in the next 12 years. Little funding has been allocated and planning must start now, ”Bishop said.
And for Otago National it would speed up the replacement of the Beaumont Bridge, while in South Canterbury the Orari Bridge at Geraldine would be double lane and modernized.
A commuter train from Mosgiel to Dunedin helped clear congestion, which was a boon for the environment, he said.
He rejected any suggestion that the National Party was all about roads.
“We are expanding our tube in Auckland and Wellington, and we are here in Dunedin saying that we are also interested in exploring it in Dunedin.”
The Dunedin and Mosgiel route has around 30,000 vehicle movements a day, with three-quarters of those motorists heading to the Dunedin CBD.
National planned to support a feasibility study in the amount of $ 100,000, with more funds available if further investigation was warranted.
The party also proposed a 15km cycle and walking trail between Dunedin and Mosgiel, allocating $ 10 million as an initial investment to ensure the complete Dunedin Tunnels Trail is delivered over the next decade.
