Southern Link ‘stacks up’ – Bridges

Opposition leader Simon Bridges has all but promised that a National government will put the Southern Link project back on track for Nelson.

‘‘We haven’t formally confirmed what we’re committed to, but the reality is we were committed to it at the last election, I’m sure we will be again,’’ Bridges said during a visit to Nelson.

‘‘It’s hugely important. It stacks up. To me, the only question under any government is not if, it’s when, and given that, we should get on with it.’’

Two years ago, shortly before the last election, the former transport minister stood by then-prime minister Bill English as he announced that a re-elected National government would start construction on the controversial route in its first term, committing up to $135 million to the project.

In 2018, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter said the Southern Link ‘‘doesn’t deliver on any of the new Government’s objectives for transport’’.

At the National Party headquarters of Nelson MP Dr Nick Smith on Monday evening, Bridges said congestion around the city was only getting worse.

‘‘It’s not about ideology, it’s about doing what’s going to make a real difference for your transportation – mums getting to school . . . dads dropping kids off at rugby, tradies getting around,’’ he said. ‘‘It needs to be done.’’

Public transport was important, such as the proposed Rocks Rd cycleway, but ‘‘to do a serious job on cycling around town, actually you need the Nelson Southern Link, so none of this is an either/or – it’s about getting it all happening all together’’.

After the meeting, Bridges said he believed the economy would be the number one issue for the next election, due in 2020.

‘‘It will, of course, also be about health, education and infrastructure. The bottom line, though, is without a strong economy – that National can deliver – we can’t do a good job in those things.’’

He said he believed National could win the government benches in 2020.

Bridges on Tuesday visited Nelson Airport, which is nearing the end of a multimillion-dollar terminal redevelopment, and the award-winning new Airways NZ control tower.