National committed to funding but not location of Ashburton’s second bridge
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
National says it will have the money, but stopped short of confirming where it will build a second Ashburton/Hakatere River bridge.
Ashburton deputy mayor Liz McMillan, standing in for mayor Neil Brown, met with National party representatives on-site to discuss the plans for the second bridge on Friday.
National leader Christopher Luxon announced in April that, if elected in October, the party would build a second Ashburton/Hakatere River Bridge.
Following the announcement, Brown said it still didn’t solve the $113.6m question of where the funding would come from.
National’s transport spokesperson, Simeon Brown, on Friday provided an answer of sorts.
“It’s in our transport plan which we will be announcing before the election. This project is one of the top priorities”
There were “strong arguments in favour” of the new bridge off Chalmers Ave, but the lifespan of the SH1 bridge is “the critical part piece of information that needs to be confirmed”, Brown said.
“We have got a really proactive council and they have worked really hard to put together what is important for the region around resilience and that’s I think the number one issue for this project.
“They are also looking at those wider benefits around housing and economic growth.
“Ultimately, the existing bridge also has a lifespan that needs to be considered.”
Having them on site to see first-hand the locations was key to demonstrating the council's prefferred option, McMillan said.
“We have done the hard yards to get it to here, they have done a site visit and had a look so we’ll have to see what happens moving forward.
“The community just wants a bridge.”
Community and council consultation has already occurred, with a business case for a proposed $113.6m second bridge and associated roading infrastructure already under consideration by Waka Kotahi.
Any reconsideration of the location could put pressure on National to deliver in three years, considering it’s taken well over a decade to reach the point of a completed business case at Chalmers Ave, McMillan said.
The council had wanted to see a funding commitment from the Labour Government in this year’s Budget, but has been left to hope it will be included somewhere in the forecast $71b investment in infrastructure over the next five years or the $6b announced to support a National Resilience Plan.
Rangitata MP Jo Luxton said the detailed business case has been submitted to Waka Kotahi for inclusion in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) which is currently being considered.
Former Transport Minister Michael Wood supported the project, but previously suggested there would be significant pressure on the NLTP following Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused significant damage to bridges and roads in the upper North Island.
He had left it to the council and Waka Kotahi “to explore potential alternative sources, which could support the council to fund a second bridge”.
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.5% Yes
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49.6% No
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2% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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