Mill Road Stage One given the green light
The next National-led government will start construction on Stage One of Mill Road and progress route protection on Stages Two and Three, National’s Transport Spokesperson Chris Bishop says.
“Mill Road is an important Road of National Significance that is part of the Government’s Major Transport Projects Pipeline, included in the Auckland City Deal as well as NZTA’s Auckland Strategic Motorway Plan,” Mr Bishop says.
“South Auckland is one of the fastest-growing parts of the country and Drury is at the centre of that growth, but the roading network hasn’t kept up.
“People travelling between Drury, Papakura and Manukau are funnelled onto an already congested Southern Motorway, while roads like Redoubt Road and the existing Mill Road were built for a semi-rural community, not tens of thousands of new households.
“Mill Road will change that. Once complete, it will be a new four-lane, 21.5-kilometre corridor running alongside State Highway 1 from Manukau to Drury, crushing congestion, improving safety, and unlocking land for the homes and jobs the region needs.
“Mill Road Stage One, between Manukau and Alfriston, is one of the highest-ranked projects on the Government’s Major Transport Projects Pipeline. It has a Benefit-Cost Ratio of 3.1 if not tolled, or 2.2 if tolled.
“NZTA estimates Stage One will reduce congestion by 30 per cent on the corridor, cut journey times by 25 per cent, and result in a more than 60 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries.
“National will allocate $1.75 billion in Budget 2028 so construction can begin in the late-2028 construction season.
"We've made strong progress on Mill Road Stage One over the last three years. The NZTA Board has endorsed the investment case, and NZTA is completing the design work and taking the project through the fast-track process to secure the consents it needs.
“After years of debate and discussion about Mill Road, National in government is getting on with it.
“In addition to starting construction on Stage One, National will allocate $100 million to progress route protection on Stages Two and Three.
“Landowners, Auckland Council, businesses and communities need certainty about where the future corridor will go, so they can plan and make investment decisions with confidence. Route protection will provide that certainty and ensure the corridor can ultimately be completed from Manukau through to Drury.”
“The commitment to Mill Road builds on the strong progress National has made on transport across Auckland over the last three years, including opening the City Rail Link, progressing the Eastern Busway and Northwest Rapid Transit, investing in the Third Main and rail electrification, delivering new rail stations and level crossing removals, and reforming Auckland’s transport governance so there is clearer accountability for how the city’s transport network is planned and delivered.
“We’re building the transport infrastructure Auckland needs for the future.
“National has a plan to grow the economy, spend sensibly and get debt down, with no new taxes. A Labour coalition would squander surpluses, hike debt and hit Kiwis with nine new taxes to pay for its spending plans – and that would mean every household paying $2263 in extra tax every year,” Mr Bishop says.
National’s Mill Road Policy here
