Earthworks Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass.
Photo: Waka Kotahi/NZTA

The threat of aging concrete streetlights falling on passers-by and the risk of assets such as bridges “sweating” have been raised as New Plymouth council grapples with a multi-million dollar shortfall in Agency funding. New Zealand Transport (NZTA).

The district council budgeted for an NZTA contribution to its $113 million transport budget when it signed off its long-term plan (LTP) in May.

But Waka Kotahi only got $86.42 million in its National Land Transport Program (NTLP), leaving the council with $27 million.

Its strategy and operations committee met Tuesday to consider ways to fund or reprioritize the replacement of the city’s cracked concrete skylights and aging bridges — some of them more than 100 years old — among other promised projects such as a second bridge over the Waiwhakaiho River.

Mayor Neil Holdom did not hold back in his criticism.

“I suppose this is a classic case of new boss meets old boss. For six years now, central government has refused to adequately fund the road network.”

Holdom said people need only look at the state highway network to know the government has been a terrible steward of assets.

“There’s no money to strategize. It’s a pothole budget and very little else, and it really doesn’t allow us to do a good job as a prudent asset manager unless we raise people’s rates.”

Pothole repair was the only area where NPDC received a higher funding allocation than requested.

A report by the council’s officer said councilors should consider increasing its funding level to meet the shortfall, maintaining its funding and re-prioritising ongoing projects, or reducing funding and cutting some jobs.

The report said the council could debt-finance the deficit as it did during the previous LTP period, but warned this came with a downside.

“While this is an option in the present case, there is a risk that the 2024-27 NLTP deficit debt funding will set a precedent for NZTA that the New Plymouth District can and will look after itself and could lead to continued deficit funding under future NLTP”.

The report warned of difficult elections ahead.

“For example, bridges are an aging infrastructure and we need to prioritize what is ‘sweated’ and what is renewed,” the report said.

“This includes interdependencies with other programs and aspirations such as the Puketapu Growth Area and the need for an additional bridge over the Waiwhakaiho River.”

New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin

The report provided case studies outlining the implications of the funding cut.

Replacing the street lights was one.

The report says NZTA approved $2.1 million for traffic service renewals in 2024-2027, which did not allow for the replacement of additional concrete street light poles, only reactive renewals.

The council had just under 1100 concrete/spun light poles that needed to be replaced.

The report said NZTA’s budget did not allow it to accelerate its replacement program.

“These poles are starting to crack and there is a risk of them falling on members of the public or their property. Damage to street light poles is increased in New Plymouth due to the coastal environment affecting corrosion rates.”

Bridges were another case study.

“The council has a stock of old bridges, which poses a significant risk. Bridges generally have a useful life of 100 years and the council has 23 bridges older than this,” the report said.

“While good maintenance can extend their useful life, it requires proper budgeting. The budget in the LTP of $2,648,439 would allow us to have three roaming crews to maintain our bridges, retaining walls and large diameter culverts. The NZTA allocation of $2,026,515 would mean we need to get this down to two crews.”

To keep up with the depreciation, the council would have to invest at least $4.5 million every three years in renewing the bridges, the report said.

In a letter setting out its position, the Transport Agency said it had allocated $808 million for the period 2024-2027 for all of Taranaki.

“To create a safer and more efficient land transportation system that supports economic growth and prosperity.”

The $808 million captured all of Taranaki, including state highways, with much of it being spent on the long-delayed Mt Messenger Bypass on State Highway 3.

The council officer’s report said at a subsequent meeting NZTA advised it had “approved as much as it could afford for New Plymouth’s transport network under the 2024-27 NLTP” and “the city’s allocation was in line with councils of similar size, e.g. Hastings”. .

Deputy Mayor David Bublitz may see a silver lining in the funding shortfall.

“This could help increase efficiency across the organisation, help teams work together and be less isolated as we look for savings.”

A punctual Councilor Max Brough responded.

“With my taxpayer hat on this we’re being told to do things better.”

Holdom said he would like to see the NLTP aligned with councils’ LTP planning processes, advocating a three-water solution.

“And the government should look seriously at economic regulation of the transport sector, because if it’s good enough for three waters, we’re seeing exactly the same thing in transport and why not use the same economic regulation solution to determine how much money is needed to maintain adequately. assets will otherwise collapse”.

The strategy and operations committee has noted the officer’s report and it will now be considered at community council level before returning to the council on December 17 where councilors will make funding decisions.

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