The shortfall means the district council either has to make it up via rates or does not fund projects, meaning they would get delayed or not happen at all.
Said Broughton: "This has real impacts on real people in Selwyn. Without the funding available we are pushed into a position of trying to decide whether we make safety improvements outside schools, or at dangerous intersections."
Broughton has suggested a regional fuel tax or tolling certain roads as possible solutions to fill the hole.
"If the government cannot fund their share of the infrastructure upgrades that Canterbury needs, then we need other solutions for where that funding is going to come from.
"A regional fuel tax or a consideration of toll roads are just options that New Zealand needs to have a conversation about. Otherwise, it’s simply pushing the problem off onto ratepayers to pay more," Broughton said.
The funding the council receives is set out in the New Zealand Transport Agency’s National Land Transport Programme, which the council applies to every three years.
NZTA takes direction from the Government on what types of projects to fund.
Broughton said it will take some time for the council to investigate the impact on its infrastructure planning, which projects are a priority, and how they can be funded.
For this three-year cycle, the council had asked for $30 million to complete a range of projects from a new park and ride in Lincoln, to safety upgrades for intersections and roads outside schools. The council was only granted $3 million.
Said Broughton: “We committed heavily in our long term plan to investing in our transport network and we were hopeful of seeing our residents’ needs recognised by the central government.
“Instead, what we have seen is that the Canterbury region and Selwyn is once again lagging behind the rest of the country in the amount the Government is willing to invest in our communities and the safety of our people on the roads.”
Canterbury received $1.8 billion of funding in the NLTP, the lowest amount per capita of all regions.
“Council is committed to minimise and where possible, to reduce our predicted rates increases, but it is far too early to say how the NZTA decisions will impact our infrastructure roll-out and future rates,” Broughton said.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown did not answer questions from Selwyn Times about Selwyn’s funding shortfall.
He said Canterbury has received one of the highest funding increases, up $600 million from the 2021 NLTP.
Selwyn Government MP Nicola Grigg would not say whether she was concerned about projects being cut or rates increasing due to the council picking up the shortfall. But she welcomed the $1.8 billion investment, saying it will support economic growth.
“The Selwyn region is one of the fastest growing in the country, meaning our need for new and improved infrastructure is significant. While the region has done an exceptional job of keeping up with the pace, our Government’s priorities will continue to support economic growth in Selwyn.”
Selwyn’s Labour spokesperson Luke Jones said the funding shortfall was a “slap in the face”.
“It shows there are wrong priorities at the moment because Selwyn is growing at a rapid rate. It needs the investment extremely severely and it’s disappointing to see that it hasn’t happened.”
One project potentially on the chopping block is traffic lights on Dunns Crossing and Burnham School Rds, designed to improve the safety of West Rolleston Primary School.
School board chair Rob Hunt said the decision to not fund it was “poor”.
“As it will become the main entry point for travel into Rolleston, it’s a sign the Government does not take safety outside schools seriously,” Hunt said.
The $125 million Rolleston flyover project, which is one of the Government’s roads of regional significance, has also been impacted. Parts of the upgrade previously thought to be funded have now been cut.
There will no longer be funding for the State Highway One, Dunns Crossing Rd cycle underpass, or widening of Dunns Crossing Rd, Levi Rd and Two Chain Rd. The project has been funded to the final design and early construction phase.
- Goulds and Ellesmere Junction Rds intersection safety upgrade
- Walkers Road and Two Chain Rds roundabout
- Levi Road widening
- Jones Two Chain Rds realignment
- Mathias Street level crossing upgrade
- Waimakariri Gorge Rd guard rail Stage two
- Weedons Ross Rd seal widening stage two
- Bealey & Telegraph Rds intersection rural intersection advanced warning sign (RIAWS) safety upgrade
- Speed management plan implementation
- School safety infrastructure upgrades
- Birchs Rd intersections cycle safety upgrade
- Ellesmere Rd Arterial intersections safety upgrades
- Maddisons and Curraghs Rds intersection RIAWS safety upgrade
- Springston Rolleston and Waterholes Rds intersection RIAWS safety uipgrade
- Two Chain Rd widening stage one
- Hoskyns Rd arterial intersections safety upgrades
- Hamptons Rd widening
- Shands and Boundary Rds intersection RIAWS safety upgrade
- Selwyn and Robinsons Rds intersection RIAWS safety upgrade
- State Highway One Dunns Crossing Rd cycle underpass pathways
- Dunns Crossing Rd widening stage one
- Brookside Rd and Rolleston Drive roundabout
- Prebbleton to City Cycle Link
- Rural road intersection safety programme
- Intersection sealback safety programme
- Greater Christchurch bus stop improvement programme
- Township footpath and crossings programme
- Dunns Crossing and Burnham School Rds traffic signals
- Selwyn and Springston Rolleston Rds roundabout
- Hoskyns Rd widening stage one
- Springs and Hamptons Rds roundabout
- Selwyn and Dunns Crossing Rds roundabout
- Gerald Street & Vernon Drive traffic signals
- Lincoln park and ride
