Originally published as a column in The Southland Times

Roads are our lifeblood. I’m particularly concerned about the economic impact on Southland if our roading infrastructure can’t be kept up to scratch.

The Southland District Council is currently grappling with some tough decisions around the future of our aging road network after the Government recently cut funding by $7.5million.

The situation in Southland is dire and the statistics make sober reading.

There are currently 1081 bridges, including 239 stock underpasses, across the province. Of those 161 are reaching the end of their lives and need replaced. To fix them all would cost $34 million – money Southland ratepayers can’t afford, while the Government appears to have turned its back on the problem.

Already five bridges have been closed, including Welsh, Scott, Nelson, McLeish Roads and Thomson Crossing Road West, and another 66 bridges are on weight restrictions, meaning heavy trucks must use a detour.

And the news is not good, with the Government’s recent road funding cuts likely to force more bridge closures and increased use of detours.

For example, the Dipton-Mossburn Bridge needs to be replaced within 12 months – and currently involves a 20Km detour.

One Southland farmer could face a 10Km detour just to get from one side of his farm to the other - if his bridge is closed, while one working mum has told me a nearby bridge closure has added an extra 20 minutes on her return trip to work.

Naturally communities don’t appreciate these detours – adding additional kilometres to the many hours’ rural people already travel, not to mention additional road user charges and fuel costs.

While the forestry, sheep, beef and dairy sectors all need good roading infrastructure to remain competitive and viable.

These are serious issues which affect the economic viability of our communities. Southlanders pay their taxes, just like Aucklanders, and yet time and again we are short-changed.

The gross domestic product, generated per capita in Southland, is amongst the most significant in the country.

According to Stats NZ, in the year ended March 2020, of the 15 regions in NZ, Southland had the fifth highest rate of GDP per capita, with only Taranaki, Auckland, Wellington, and Malborough ahead of us.

We pull our weight economically, that’s why the Government’s road funding cuts are such a bitter blow because they undermine the productive heart of this region, they sabotage our ability to grow Southland’s economy and they erode our strength as an agricultural and manufacturing region.

This coupled with details of a $765 million spend for a cycling and walking bridge in Auckland and the recent car taxes on vehicles which are not electric, has really impacted the South and created huge concern.

I have been overwhelmed by calls from local people and my Facebook page has been inundated and I intend to take these community concerns to Wellington.

National is calling on the Government to can its multi-million dollar Auckland cycling and walking bridge and I intend to campaign hard to get more funding to keep our roads and bridges open.