The Government has announced work has begun in the Hawke’s Bay on the first of seventeen prioritised Road of National Significance projects.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Transport Minister Simeon Brown are hosting a press conference at Parliament after today’s Cabinet meeting to discuss the Government’s major transport project.

Brown announced work is underway on the 27-km Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), which will be completed over four stages.

Brown said the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road would become four-lanes.

“Four-laning the Hawke’s Bay Expressway will unleash national and regional economic growth and productivity by reducing travel times, increasing resilience, and improving safety for motorists.

“Early works have now started on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway RoNS to four-lane this critical corridor that carries 29,000 vehicles a day and links freight to one of New Zealand’s largest ports.”

He said growing population and the economy meant the central section of this road was reaching capacity at peak times.

“Starting work now allows the NZTA to maximise the 2025/2026 construction season and bring forward the construction of this project by 12 to 15 months.

Brown said: “NZTA is prioritising the Taradale Road to Pākowhai Road section of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway as it is the most congested part of the road, and will help ensure more reliable journey times for commuters and freight operators in the Bay.”

Brown is Local Government Minister and is expected to be asked about the state and future of Wellington City Council after his recent meeting with Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau.

The meeting followed speculation the Government will place a Crown representative within the council as ministers, including Brown, criticise it amid an impasse on spending cuts.

However, after the roughly 30-minute meeting at Parliament, Whanau said Brown did not raise the prospect of the Government intervening in the council.

She noted Brown was still waiting for advice from officials on potential options.

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Whanau described the meeting as “good” and “productive”, in which she gave Brown a “full rundown” on the status of the council’s Long-Term Plan (LTP) – now in strife following the council’s decision not to sell its stake in Wellington Airport.

Another of Brown’s portfolios is transport. In September, Brown unveiled his $32.9 billion National Land Transport Programme, which included $5.5b for pothole prevention and $7b for state highway improvements.

It also included four new roads of national significance in Auckland. The Government this term has also reintroduced the Roads of National Significance programme, which was started under the previous National Government in 2009.

The Government’s draft policy statement confirmed 17 roads of national significance, and 11 of regional significance were on the slate – four new ones in Auckland.

A Roads of Regional Significance programme was released earlier this year. Similar to Roads of National Significance, this scheme focuses on roads important to the regions.

Late last week, Luxon spoke of a complaint against one of his ministers – Andrew Bayly – after a ministerial business visit this month.

Bayly apologised after a complaint that he allegedly swore at, mocked and ridiculed a man, leaving him feeling “degraded, embarrassed and deeply disrespected”.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.