Labour all over the show on Woodend Bypass
Chris Hipkins has directly contradicted his own candidate and List MP on the Woodend Bypass, says National Transport Spokesperson Chris Bishop and MP for Waimakariri Matt Doocey.
Asked directly this morning whether Labour would match National’s commitment of $800 million in Crown capital towards starting the Belfast to Pegasus Road of National Significance including the Woodend Bypass, Chris Hipkins rejected the idea and wrongly said National had cancelled the project.
“Chris Hipkins is wrong and has also directly contradicted his own local candidate. Asked by John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB in July 2026 whether Labour would fund the road, Dan Rosewarne said “I believe we will get it built sooner”, and when asked “how” he said, “by funding it.”
“Belfast to Pegasus is one of the 17 Roads of National Significance in the government’s Major Transport Projects Pipeline. Four are underway right now with two about to start. B2P is the next cab off the rank. It recently received fast track approval and early works have been underway for a year, visible to anyone who has driven through the local area recently.
“After 6 years of inaction under Labour, in the last three years we have moved at pace finishing land acquisitions, provisional consents, design, fast tracking consents, strengthening Kaiapoi overpass bridge and funded $127 million of early implementation works currently underway.
“B2P has never been cancelled, in fact the opposite is the case – NZTA has spent the past couple of years getting it ready for construction. National’s commitment means we can get on with it in the construction season of 2027/28.
“The transport sector has repeatedly called for a clear and sequenced pipeline of projects, which can be built once funding is available. That’s what they’ve got under National.
“Cantabrians now have a clear choice on Belfast to Pegasus and the Woodend Bypass – delivering yet another important Canterbury transport project under National, or more cancellations and a stop/start construction pipeline under Labour.”
