Styx Bridge Four-Lane Project Back on Track
Clayton Cosgrove Media Statement
Member of Parliament
for Waimakariri
Chairperson, Finance & Expenditure Select
Committee
Styx Bridge Four-Lane Project Back on Track
30 June 2003
The greater priority given to four-laning the Styx Bridge on Main North Road under Transit New Zealand’s revised 10-year plan is a victory for common sense and the community as a whole, says Waimakariri Member of Parliament Clayton Cosgrove.
Under Transit’s draft 10-year strategy released in January, the Styx Bridge Main North Road Four-Laning (Stage 2) project was not scheduled until at least 2013/14 or later. It has now been moved up Transit's ranking of major projects from 55 to 23, and is the highest ranked major project in Christchurch.
The project now has a construction start indicated for 2005/06, at a cost of $11.4m.
“I am very pleased to see Transit has acknowledged the case I have put forward, on behalf of residents in metropolitan Christchurch and North Canterbury who have to use this congested stretch of road,” said Mr Cosgrove.
“The advancement of this project should put an end to the idea that only Auckland will benefit from the money this government is directing into transport to catch-up on earlier neglect.”
Mr Cosgrove has repeatedly met with Transport Minister, Hon Paul Swain, including a joint meeting with nine of the South Island’s mayors last month, to reinforce the message that Transit’s proposal did not make sense. Mr Cosgrove also organised and presented a petition to Transit NZ, in conjunction with the Christchurch City Council Shirley / Papanui Community Board, in March this year.
“As a community we have battled since
January to convince Transit that their proposal to delay the
four-laning of Styx Bridge for more than a decade was
unacceptable. Transit’s proposal was not well thought
through, and thanks in large part to the efforts of our
community board, the Automobile Association, and the people
of Christchurch and North Canterbury, we have got this
project back on track.
“I will be continuing to monitor this project as we move to the construction start date, and right up until the first car goes over the new bridge.”
ENDS