- By Simeon Brown, MP for Pakuranga
Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I recently approved a $226.2 million package of resilience improvement projects for state highways and local roads across the country.
It will reduce the impact of severe weather events and create a more resilient and efficient road network.
In recent years we’ve seen the terrible consequences that such events can have on important transport networks across the country.
Rather than just reacting to severe weather events, we’re building resilience now to ensure that our infrastructure is strong in the face of future challenges.
Our roads are critical for freight and tourism and serve as important lifelines for communities around New Zealand.
We must maintain these assets to the standard Kiwis need and expect, particularly in rural and remote locations where alternative routes are not available.
I also recently announced the Government’s Pothole Prevention Fund will deliver a total of 285.6 lane kilometres of rehabilitation work over the coming summer months, a 124 per cent increase compared to last year.
This work involves full width repairs of our existing roads, and renews the life of the roading pavement, rather than simply filling in potholes.
Long-lasting rehabilitation work that strengthens the network and prevents potholes from forming in the first place is critical to lifting the quality of our roading network and has a longer lasting impact than resealing the road.
Our Government inherited a significant backlog of road maintenance across the country. We’re now catching up on the maintenance deficit to ensure Kiwis and freight can get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.
Finally, the Government’s new speed limit rule was recently signed to reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions by July 1, 2026, following consultation that saw over 65 per cent of submitters support the restoration of previous limits.
This will include restoring the previous limits on some of our busiest local roads, such as Pakuranga Road, Ti Rakau Drive, and Te Irirangi Drive.
We’re also prioritising the safety of young Kiwis by introducing reduced speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times.
By July 1, 2026, local streets outside a school will have a 30kph variable speed limit, while rural roads outside schools will have variable speed limits of 60kph or less.
We also know that Roads of National Significance improve safety and efficiency.
That’s why new expressways will have speed limits up to 120kph where it’s safe, from the day they open.
It’s critical we have the right settings in place to boost economic growth, improve road safety, and get Kiwis where they want to go.
