Ratepayers association demands expressway answers

The Horowhenua District Ratepayers and Residents Association Inc (HDRRAI) is leading the charge demanding an answer regarding the fate of the O¯ taki to North of Levin Expressway.

The association is encouraging affected residents to email copies of a letter demanding answers by the end of September to “NZTA, government ministers, local councils and other relevant people”. This follows a meeting held at Manakau Hall August 26, attended by about 56 people.

After listening to the opinions and frustrations of those affected the meeting decided, by a show of hands, to write to the minister and relevant people and councils to ask for an answer about whether or not the O2NL is happening and what the chosen route might be. If the answer is yes, they want the answers by the end of September.

Copies of the letter can be found on numerous Facebook pages. Local residents, affected by the proposed routes, have also had a copy of the letter.

The accompanying email said, “The feeling of the participants was positive and caring and there seemed to be a shared willingness to work together in an endeavour to get some answers.”

The HDRRAI said it will call another meeting in early October if there are no answers are forthcoming.

Copies of the letter will be send to government ministers Phil Twyford, Shane Jones, Julie Anne Genter, and NZTA’s Peter Mersi. The letter centres around two questions:

Question one: Is O2NL as a project going to proceed?

Question two: If the answer is yes, regardless of when, what is the defined alignment of O2NL?

The letter says, “We advise the ministers that people affected, whom received letters of interest in their properties for the O2NL options, have already been subjected to considerable consultations. They live in constant uncertainty and we ask that they be primarily taken into account in your deliberations.”