Simpson Scott: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSimpson Scott: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 12 May 2016. Volume:713;Page:11049. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made regarding the Government’s commitment to improving the road link between Auckland Coromandel and the Western Bay of Plenty?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): It was my pleasure to announce alongside the MP for Coromandel that the Government is investing $278 million to upgrade State Highway 2 between Pōkeno and the State Highway 25 intersection near Mangatarata. This 32-kilometre section of road is the main connection between Auckland and the Coromandel. It is a popular holiday route and supports strong tourism movements in the region but it has long been a source of frustration for motorists. That is why the Government is stepping in and widening the road with two lanes along the route for traffic heading towards Auckland. Work will get under way this year on the design consents and property purchase with construction set to start within the next 2 years. I thank Scott Simpson for his representations on this work programme.Scott Simpson: How will the upgraded roading link on State Highway 2 between Auckland and the beautiful Coromandel improve the journey for motorists?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: This popular holiday route is a notorious black spot. The series of improvements announced by the Government will make dramatic safety improvements with the long-term goal being to reduce death and serious-injury crashes by 80 percent over 20 years. At the same time though the new road will allow the speed limit to be safely increased from 90 to 100 kilometres per hour. All up motorists can expect a safer more reliable and quicker drive particularly for people travelling north after a weekend on the Coromandel.Todd Muller: What other announcements has he made recently that improve road safety particularly in the Western Bay of Plenty?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: It was my pleasure to announce recently alongside MPs Todd Muller and Scott Simpson a $520 million roading package that will transform State Highway 22 between Tauranga and Waihī. The package includes the long-awaited $286 million Tauranga Northern Link which will connect Tauranga to the west of Te Puna and support expected strong future growth in Tauranga and the wider Western Bay of Plenty. A further $150 million has been earmarked in the package for a future extension of the link road extending out to Ōmokoroa. Finally the stretch of road between Tauranga and Waihī—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The Minister will resume his seat immediately. I will determine the length of answers; no one else. But if the interjections continue particularly from my left-hand corner then I will also be determining how long a particular member stays in the Chamber. Would the Minister complete his answer.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Finally this stretch of road between Tauranga and Waihī is overrepresented in fatalities so a further $85 million will be spent on a wide range of safety improvements along the road which will reduce death and serious-injury crashes. I appreciate that the Opposition hates this much good news from the Government.Marama Fox: When can residents of the East Coast expect to receive announcements to improve the road links of Te Tai Rāwhiti such as State Highway 35?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I thank the member for her vigorous representations in this regard. There has been some very good work on the East Coast on State Highway 35—passing lanes which I have seen with the member and also Mōtū Bridge coming later this year. And I thank also Anne Tolley. We were in good discussions with the council as regional economic development Ministers—Minister Joyce and I and others—around issues such as State Highway 35 and State Highway 2. And I hope that we will be able to make good progress on those roads over time.Marama Fox: Given the Minister’s enthusiasm for improving the links around the East Coast region can we expect the Minister to consider funding rail links to ease pressure on the roads from the Gisborne-Napier rail area?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As the member well says I am an enthusiast and I can say that I very much back the transport connections around the East Coast in relation to rail. It is primarily—in fact it is entirely—a commercial matter between the parties. There are talks going on at the moment and let us see where they go.