Belfast to Pegasus & Woodend Bypass given green light
A re-elected National government will fully fund the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass, with $800 million committed in our first Budget so construction can begin next year, National’s Transport Spokesperson Chris Bishop says.
“This is the next major transport project Canterbury needs, and National will fund it so NZTA can get on and build it,” Mr Bishop says.
“The Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass will extend the Christchurch Northern Motorway around 11 kilometres north, from just south of the Waimakariri River to beyond Pegasus and Ravenswood.
“Canterbury is the engine room of the South Island. It is home to around 695,000 people, roughly one in eight New Zealanders, and is our second-largest regional economy, generating $55.5 billion of GDP in the year to March 2025.
“North Canterbury is one of the places where that growth is being felt most strongly. The Waimakariri District has more than doubled in size since the early 1990s to around 70,000 people, while Woodend, Pegasus and Ravenswood continue to grow rapidly.
“SH1 approaching Woodend already carries around 21,500 vehicles a day, around nine per cent of them freight, and that is expected to increase to around 28,000 vehicles a day by 2048.
“That pressure is being felt in Woodend itself. At peak times it can take up to 20 minutes to travel through the town, while heavy through-traffic makes it harder for locals to access shops, schools and other parts of the community.
“There is also a significant safety problem. Between 2014 and 2023 there were 280 crashes on SH1 through Woodend, including three fatalities and 25 serious injuries.
“The new motorway and bypass will fundamentally change how this corridor works. The project includes widening the southern section of SH1 from two to four lanes, a new four-lane motorway bypass to the north, major intersection upgrades and new bridges.
“NZTA estimates the project will save motorists up to 10 minutes at peak times, reduce traffic through Woodend from around 21,500 vehicles a day to 8,000, and reduce deaths and serious injuries by 78 per cent.
“For locals, the bypass means getting their town centre back. Moving through-traffic and heavy trucks onto the new motorway will make Woodend safer, easier to get around and a better place for local businesses and the community.
“It will also make the corridor more reliable for people and freight travelling to and from Christchurch, Christchurch Airport and Lyttelton Port.
“This is not a project starting from scratch. Because of National’s work in government, the project is ready to go and is the next investment-ready project on the Major Transport Projects Pipeline.
“National will commit $800 million in our first Budget to fully fund the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass, allowing construction to commence in 2027.
“National has already increased transport investment in Canterbury to $1.8 billion, around 50 per cent more than under Labour.
“We will continue making the choices needed to invest in the infrastructure New Zealand needs to grow.
“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.
