John MacDonald: The South Island gets by-passed yet again

Yet again, the South Island is taking a back seat to the North Island.

With Transport Minister Chris Bishop announcing that the Government had done a re-think on all the new roads it promised before the last election.

And for us here in the South Island, that means none of the ones we were promised going ahead anytime soon - including the much-anticipated Woodend Bypass.

More than 20,000 vehicles go through Woodend every day and local residents, the council and MP Matt Doocey have been fighting for years for a bypass to divert traffic away from the township.

This has been going on for 20-odd years, or so.

But the Government says there’s no more money for the project. Other than what’s already been approved for design work, land purchases and some early works.

But there’s no money for actual construction of the road and, therefore, no start date. And I wouldn’t put money on it happening anytime soon.

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon isn’t taking no for an answer. And he’s demanding answers from Wellington.

But good luck Dan. Because what you’re fighting here is bigger than just the Woodend Bypass.

What Dan Gordon and the rest of us are fighting is the fact that the South Island has always and will always take a back seat to the North Island.

And, despite what any politician from any political party says, the South Island will always play second fiddle.

And that’s exactly what we’re seeing here.

The Woodend Bypass is effectively on ice. The same with the only other major South Island road promised at the last election - the Hope Bypass, in the Nelson-Tasman area.

As someone was pointing out over the weekend, the Roads of National Significance have become the Roads of North Island Significance.

And it’s not just a Woodend thing. Just look south of Christchurch for another roading example of the South Island playing second fiddle.

Someone was telling me this morning that it took them two hours to get from just south of Ashburton to Christchurch last night.

Another traveller heading home after the long weekend told me they had similar issues on that stretch of road last night. With the average speed between Ashburton and Christchurch about 60 kilometres per hour.

There may have been a crash somewhere. But it just reinforces how hopeless that stretch of road is.

And is another example of how happy Wellington is to dish out the lip service to the South Island, but that’s all.
I’ve never been a “cut the cable” kind of guy. Because that sort of stuff is way too parochial for me.

But, at the same time, I can’t ignore the fact that our political parties - when they’re in government and when they’re out of government - don’t care as much about the South Island as they do about the North Island.

And this announcement about the Woodend Bypass going nowhere anytime soon is just another example.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from newstalksb Yet.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Again, the South Island is taking a back seat to
the North Island, with Transport Minster Chris Bishop announcing that
the government's done a rethink on all the new roads
that promised before the last election, and for us here
in South Island that means none of the ones we
were promised going ahead anytime soon, including the much anticipated

(00:37):
would End bypass. You know the numbers, more than twenty
thousand vehicles go through wood End every day and local residents,
the council MP Matt Doosey, I've been fighting for what
seems like years to get a bypass to divert Trafford
away from the Township's been going on for what twenty

(00:57):
odd years or so, hasn't it. But the government says
there is no more money for the project other than
what's already been approved for design work, buying a bit
of land and some early works. That's all that's articularly boo,
but there's no money for actual construction work of the

(01:20):
road and therefore there is no start date. And you
know what, I would not put money on it happening
anytime soon. That's just not going to happen. Why a
making ready meyor Dan Gordon. He's not taking no for
an answer and he's demanding answers from Wellington in his
measured way. Of course, Dan Gordon says, quote, we have

(01:43):
been advocating on behalf of our community strongly for over
twenty years and just how need of this project is.
We will continue to strongly advocate with ministers and ensigay
for construction funding to be committed. End of quote. Dan,
if you're listening, good luck mate, You're going to need
it because what you're fighting here way bigger than the

(02:08):
ward End Bypass. What Dan Gordon and the rest of
us are fighting is the fact that the South Island
has always and will always take a back seat to
the North Island. And despite what any politician from any
political party says, National Labor New Zealand First Department, but

(02:30):
despite what they say, this is the fact the South
Island will always play second fiddle and that is exactly
what we're seeing here. The wood End Bypass effectively on
ice the same two with the only other major South
Island road promised at the last election, the Hope Bypass
in the Nelson Tasman area. As someone was pointing out

(02:52):
the weekend, the roads of national significance have become the
roads of North Island significance. And it's not just a
wood end thing either. The conversation is bigger than just
the ward end bypass. Just looks south of christ Church
for another roading example. And it's not just roading either,
but looks out the christ Church for another roading example

(03:14):
of the South Island playing second field. Someone was telling
me this morning then it took them two hours to
get from just south of Ashburton to christ Church. Last
night another traveler heading home after the long long weekend
told me they had similar issues on that stretch of road.
Last night. They said the average swede speed between Ashburton
and christ Church was about sixty k's per hour. Now,

(03:38):
there may have been a crash somewhere, but it just reinforces,
doesn't it, how hopeless that stretch of road is. As
another example of how happy Wellington is to dish out
the lip service to the South Island. But that is all,
that's all it dishes out lip service. Now, look, I've
never been one of those cut the cable kind of guys.

(03:58):
Because some of that sort of stuff. It's just way too,
way too parochial for me. But at the same time,
I can't ignore the fact that our political parties, when
they're in government and when they're out of government, I
can't ignore the fact that they don't care as much
about the South Island as they do about the North Island.
And this announcement about the wood End Bypass going nowhere

(04:20):
anytime soon is just another example.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
Canterbary Mornings. For more from Canterbory Mornings with John McDonald,
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nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.