Coastal Road At The Mercy Of NZTA Funding

Monday, 1 July 2024, 5:56 pm
Article: Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter

The future of the only road in and out of a collection of small coastal settlements in Masterton hangs on a funding decision yet to be confirmed.

Last week, Masterton District Council approved its Long-Term Plan [LTP] which included a budget of almost $26 million to protect Mataikona Rd from coastal erosion over the next 10 years.

The section of affected coast is home of one of Wairarapa’s geological gems - the Mataikona Rocks.

But funding for the works scheduled for the next three years has not yet been approved by the New Zealand Transport Agency [NZTA].

A decision from the agency is expected by September when the National Land Transport Programme is adopted.

Last year, Masterton councillors agreed to seek funding support for critical and high risk interventions on the road, using a mix of coastal protection methods such as retreat of the road where practical and feasible, slope stabilisation, and retaining walls.

The proposed works would maintain access to the coast and the small settlements there which are home to about 200 people.

Masterton District Council’s finance manager David Paris said the funding uncertainty had been noted in the audit opinion issued on the LTP.

“We've progressed our plan on the basis we will get confirmation [of the funding],” Paris said.

“If that funding doesn't get confirmed, Mataikona Rd would have to be relooked at and we would need to revise that work programme completely on that project.”

NZTA provides funding at the rate of 56 per cent on the council's programme of roading work.

Every three years, the council submits a three-year programme to NZTA for co-funding from the National Land Transport Programme and approval of the programme is often out of synchronisation with the LTP cycle.

For 2024-27, Masterton District Council's programme of work totals $58.3 million, but NZTA have only endorsed the allocation of $43.4 million to qualify for their subsidy.

They will advise by September how much of the balance will be subsidised.

This has left $14m of work potentially not eligible for subsidy; the subsidy value yet to be confirmed is $8.35 million over three years.

Masterton District Council says it has a plan if not all of the subsidy is available, which involves not proceeding with the proposed Mataikona Rd upgrades [$7.6 million] and reducing other programmes of footpath renewals, regional road safety and local road safety improvements to the level funded by the council's rates-funded share.

The council would continue to liaise with NZTA to ensure they understand the implications of not providing subsidy at the level expected/needed.

The National Land Transport Fund is made up of revenue collected from: fuel excise duty, road user charges, vehicle and driver registration and licensing, state highway property disposal and leasing, and road tolling.

All of the activity and project proposals NZTA receives are prioritised for funding on a national basis.

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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