National is committing to the next generation of Roads of National Significance (RONS), announcing 10 new routes will be added.

“Our country is growing and we are committed to building world-class infrastructure to encourage that growth to continue,” Minister of Transport and National Party transport spokesman Simon Bridges said.

The original seven RONS are now either complete or under construction, improving safety and travel times around the country and supporting New Zealand‘s economic growth. Bridges said the time had come for the next generation of nation-building projects, announcing that 10 of the country‘s most important routes will form the next generation of RONS.

They are:

• Wellsford to Whangarei

• East West Link in Auckland

• Cambridge to Tirau

• Piarere to the foot of the Kaimai Range

• Tauranga to Katikati

• Napier to Hastings

• Manawatu Gorge

• Levin to Sanson

• Christchurch Northern Motorway

• Christchurch to Ashburton

“The new roads are expected to cost around $10.5 billion, on top of the estimated $12 billion invested in the initial seven,” Bridges said.

As with the seven original roads, the new routes will be funded from the National Land Transport Fund and the use of Public-Private Partnerships.

“The initial funding will come from our record infrastructure investment of $32.5 billion announced in Budget 2017. As we have previously said, once the original projects were completed new projects could come on and would be funded by existing revenue sources.

“Strong transport connections are critical for our growing regions and support New Zealand‘s economic prosperity, and the Roads of National Significance are an important part of that. They are lead infrastructure projects meaning we are investing now to encourage future economic growth, rather than waiting until the strain on the network becomes a handbrake on progress,” Bridges said.

“The chosen projects are our highest volume roads and they are a sensible and logical extension of the original seven projects. Together they will help provide a strong safe highway network that links our regions effectively with our major cities.”

Bridges said the completed RONS were also the safest, with no road fatalities to date.

“National is committed to building the infrastructure and transport system New Zealand needs to ensure our ongoing economic prosperity is secured,” Bridges said.