Latest news with #StateHighway3
RNZ News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Taranaki farmers consider options after Mt Messenger Bypass court setback
The Transport Agency wants to compulsorily acquire 11 hectares of Tony and Debbie Pascoe's' cattle farm. Photo: Ken Downie Taranaki farmers fighting the compulsory acquisition of 11 hectares of their land for the Mt Messenger Bypass project say they're considering their options after another setback in the courts. The Transport Agency wants to compulsorily acquire 11 hectares of Tony and Debbie Pascoe's cattle farm under the Public Works Act for the project. The $365 million bypass is a new two-lane 6km route between Uruti and Ahititi that avoids the existing steep, narrow and winding route over Mt Messenger on State Highway 3. The couple argue that the process for selecting the route and acquiring their land had been flawed, but the High Court - which has issued four new appeal decisions - disagreed. The Transport Agency has welcomed the decisions - the latest of 20 court rulings involving the Pascoes land - saying it marked a significant milestone for the project. One of this week's appeal findings related to a 2024 Environment Court decision - which supported the compulsory acquisition - and involved the selection of the bypass route. Three other decisions related to the process for acquiring the couple's land. The Pascoes, who have already been granted leave to appeal issues relating to the compulsory acquisition to the Supreme Court , said they were still considered the High Court decisions. "While we have not yet had an opportunity to fully review yesterday's decisions, we have already identified a number of fundamental errors. "It appears that Justice McQueen has failed to exercise reasonable skill, care and diligence in the performance of her duties to us and to the people of this country." The couple said the Supreme Court had determined in a number of high-profile instances that there had been miscarriages of justice and cases were not properly determined by the lower courts. "We believe that yesterday's decisions are in this category, and it is likely that we will appeal. "Being deprived of somewhere tenable to live and the ability to make a living is barbaric and an abomination under the Public Works Act." Taranaki farmer Tony Pascoe. Photo: Ken Downie The Supreme Court appeal was scheduled to be heard on 14 October. NZTA regional manager of infrastructure delivery Rob Partridge said the rulings marked a significant milestone for the project, following years of legal challenges. "While it is always our preference to acquire land through agreement, this has not been possible, despite extensive efforts including numerous offers made to the landowners." Partridge said since 2017, there had been many attempts to acquire the land by agreement, and the landowners had been presented with 20 offers including options for new housing elsewhere across their 683-hectare landholdings. "The delays in securing this land have come at a considerable cost. NZTA plans to update the overall project cost later this year, factoring in the impacts of these delays, as well as inflation and rising construction costs." Te Ara o Te Ata - Mt Messenger Bypass project construction in February 2025. Photo: NZTA / Waka Kotahi Partridge said following the latest court decision NZTA would now request the Crown take the necessary steps to become the legal owner of the 11-hectare parcel of land. "So that, subject to any further legal challenge against this process occurring, the Mt Messenger Alliance can begin works on the northern section as soon as possible." The work was then expected to take four full construction seasons, from October to April, to complete, Partridge said.
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- RNZ News
Search continues for New Plymouth woman missing for two nights
Photo: Supplied / NZ police The search continues for a New Plymouth woman missing for two nights, with police appealing to walkers and bikers to keep an eye out on trails. The woman, identified only as Jan, was last seen walking north along State Highway 3 near the intersection of Thomason Road, between Egmont Village and New Plymouth, about 11am Tuesday. She was last seen wearing long pants and a green jacket. Police, Land Search and Rescue and other volunteers have been searching around Thomason Road and Lake Mangamahoe areas on Thursday. Police ask farmers and residents of Alfred Road and Albert Road to check their paddocks, sheds or sleepouts, and under anything where a person could seek shelter. If you have seen Jan, or have any information that could help, please contact police via the 105 service, either over the phone or online at Please reference the file number 250611/5626.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- RNZ News
Police worried for safety of woman missing in Taranaki
Police have released this image of the missing woman. Photo: Supplied / NZ police Police have serious concerns for the welfare of a woman missing from Egmont Village. The woman, who police have identified only as Jan, was last seen walking north along State Highway 3 near the intersection of Thomason Road, between Egmont Village and New Plymouth at around 11am on Tuesday. She was wearing long pants and a green jacket. Anyone who sees Jan is asked to contact police online , clicking "Update Report" or by calling 105 and quoting file number 250611/5626.
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
New highway replacing Manawatu Gorge road is now open
The roads looks near completion at the Woodville end. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham The four-lane Te Ahu a Turanga highway is now open to drivers, becoming the new State Highway 3. The first commuters are now driving over the 11.5 kilometre highway that connects Ashhurst and Woodville. It replaces the old Manawatu Gorge Rd, which closed in 2017 following slips, and took five years to build. Joy Kopa from with Positively Woodville, speaks to Kathryn about what the new road will mean for the town.
RNZ News
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Te Ahu a Turanga - Manawatū Tararua Highway formally opened with karakia
The ribbon being cut at the formal opening of the Ahu a Turanga Highway. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai A long-awaited highway connecting Manawatū and Hawke's Bay has had its official opening - eight years after the old highway closed. The road does not officially open to traffic until next week, but a few locals had the chance to take a test drive over the southern Ruahine Ranges on Saturday. The four-lane Te Ahu a Turanga - Manawatū Tararua Highway replaces the old State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge, which closed in April 2017 due to slips. Minister of Transport Chris Bishop was present to cut the ribbon. It was fantastic to finally see the highway open, he said. "It's a very important day for the communities. And it has been a very large investment from the government but a very important one, and it's going to be a fantastic resilient new road and be one that will last for generations to come." Stakeholders for the new highway pose for a photo after the cutting of the ribbon. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai It was expected the 11.5km route would take less than 15 minutes to drive, an improvement on the windy alternative routes over the Saddle Road and Pahiatua Track that were in use for the past eight years. Chair of Horizons Regional Council Rachel Keedwell said she hoped the new highway would be a much safer drive then the alternatives. "The Saddle Road was never designed to be a state highway - it was basically a farm track that turned into a road taking 9000 vehicles a day in heavy traffic, the speed limit was dropped to 60km/h for a reason. There's been many serious injuries and deaths on that road, so this is just going to be amazing. It's a quick easy ride, it's safe, heavy traffic can get over it without holding up other traffic." Horizons Regional Council spanned communities on both sides of the ranges, and Keedwell said the closure had been a big deal for the Tararua District in particular. "It's impacted on how people get to work, it's impacted on how the community joins in to Palmerston North, and financially, people have borne the brunt of that, businesses as well as locals, and so bringing the connection back together it just makes it seamless from one side of the region to the other." Before dawn, karakia rang out across the brand new Parahaki Bridge on the Ashhurst end of the new highway. The karakia was led by representatives of five iwi: Rangitāne ki Manawatū, Rangitāne o Tamaki nui a rua, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Raukawa, from both sides of the Ruahine/Tararua range. Rangitāne ki Manawatū kaumātua Manu Kawana. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai Ngāti Kauwhata spokesperson Meihana Durie said it was important for all the iwi to come together to recite the karakia. "He tauira pai pea tēnā mō ngā ara katoa o te motu nei kia kaua e haere tapatahi ki te mahi engari mē āta kōrero ki ngā iwi, ki ngā hapū. Whakaae katoa ngā iwi, ngā hapū ki te hanga o tēnei rori nō reira mātau katoa e tino harikoa ana i tēnei rā." "This project might be a good example for other roading projects around the country to not go directly into the work, but to speak first with the iwi. All the iwi, the hapū (in the region) agreed to the building of this road so we are all very happy today." Rangitāne ki te Manawatū kaumātua Manu Kawana said the new highway took its name from a nearby landmark - Te Ahu a Turanga. That name in turn came from an ancestor named Turanga, who was a descendant of Aotea waka from Taranaki. During a battle in the Manawatū Gorge Turanga was mortally wounded, he said. "I tata hemo atu te tūpuna rā, arā piki ake i ngā riu o ngā pae Ruahine rā, i tae atu ā ia ki tētahi taumata, ko taua taumata ka kite atu nei i te maunga titohea koira pea tōna hiahia kia tae atu rā ki tētahi wāhi e taea ai te kite atu i tōna maunga. Katahi ka mate atu." "He almost died then, but he began to climb up the valleys of the Ruahine ranges until he reached a peak, from there he could see Taranaki, perhaps that was his desire to reach somewhere where he could see his mountain. Then he passed away." The Manawatū Gorge with the old State Highway 3 on the right side of the river. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai There was still a stone on the mountainside marking the site of his death, Kawana said. "Me mihi ka tika ki Te Ahu a Turanga taumata, i tikina atu ai te ingoa o te huarahi nei i tō mātau taumata tapu rawa atu," Durie said. "We must pay tribute to the peak of Te Ahu a Turanga, that name, the name of our most sacred peak was chosen as a name for this highway," Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
