Todd Talks By Todd Muller

Anyone who has ever driven on State Highway 2 from Tauranga to Katikati will surely agree that the road is in urgent need of an upgrade.

Statistics show it is New Zealand's deadliest stretch of highway, yet our Regional Council has it listed at number 11 on the regional transport committees list of priorities.

This is an utter disgrace.

Locals are outraged, and quite rightly so. Every time they turn on to SH2 they are taking their lives into their own hands.

Under a National government, this stretch of road would have been treated as a Road of National Significance – because that is exactly what it is.

It's a main artery for our community and our economy.

Unfortunately the Labour government doesn't share our view and is instead prioritising pet projects like trams in Auckland.

The Minister of Transport, Phil Twyford, should come down from his office on the sixth floor of the Beehive and drive the road himself, or at the very least front up to our community, look them in the eye, and explain why this road isn't a priority for his government.

This week I've written to him asking that he do just that.

Watch this space.